War of Hearts
by She's Automatic
Summary: Dresden is a Dauntless born Divergent who was forced to leave everything she loved her home and run when Erudite started looking at her test results a little too in depth. But she can't run anymore and coming back from the dead just isn't as simple as people would think. One thing is for certain not everyone will be pleased to see her again.
1. Preview

_"No!" If he hadn't felt sick before he was certainly feeling that way now. He shook his head trying to clear his vision sure he was hallucinating with the force his head had hit the compacted dirt bellow him. Briefly he wondered if his head had landed on a rock, but he knew that not to be true and he knew the hit though hard enough to startle him was hardly worthy of hallucinations. She was real, crouched in front of him she looked unsure half ready to crumble half ready to attack. But god she was beautiful her hair wild the colour of the darkest most decadent chocolate, her lips big red the bottom one was split it looked as though it had been healing but had re opened when she attacked him blood was pooling in the corner of her mouth. He wanted to reach over wipe it away and claim those lips. He'd dreamt of this of her been alive. They'd been his favorite dreams the ones he never wanted to wake up from._

 _The reality though, that was something totally different. Instead of love and relief he felt little more than anger and betrayal. If she wasn't dead, she hadn't been taken from him – she'd chosen to leave him. He had done nothing but love her, treasure her, support her, follow her stupid fucking rules and let Four live and she had just walked away from him. Part of him wanted to attack her hurt her but he knew what would hurt her more. Killing Four, her other brother. Killing her brother he could kill the both Halston York had transferred to Amity he'd be here somewhere he could kill him too. Growling he pushed himself to his feet and took off the stragglers still running around them so he knew despite it feeling like minutes since she'd taken him down in reality barely seconds had past. Not even bothering to shout back an instruction to detain her he took off sprinting through the woods desperate to catch them. He had to kill Four, had to make her suffer as she had made him suffer._

 _"ERIC!" He could hear her screaming his name as he took off clearly she'd been expecting him to fight her not run from her. She'd hoped to delay him but as he reached the edge of the woods where the rest of the Dauntless where been held back among the tree's by Four who stood alone firing at them. Four stopped though and the Stiff took over, she was a shit shot and Eric knew it as he made a break from the tree's aiming for Four as he ran for the tracks making a last minute dive in front of the train._


	2. Chapter 1

"Dres you have to promise me no matter what happens protect Beatrice." Natalie urged gripping the face of younger woman crouched beside her as they huddled in the trees close to the edge of Abnegation. "She is like you the serum won't have worked on her."

"You find her I will get the package…"

"You don't know where it is I will go you find… Beatrice." The woman, Dres followed Natalie's gaze to the houses and saw three guards dragging a young blonde dauntless recruit to the clearing between them pointing guns at her.

There was no planning after that as Natalie just took off through the trees shooting at the Dauntless guards as she ran to her daughter. Sighing Dresden decided the package would have to wait as she got up and sprinted after Natalie taking out one of the guards as she did. Natalie set to work helping Tris out hugging her whilst Tris asked a million questions. Dres wondered how this girl had managed to stay hidden in Dauntless for ten weeks she was so obviously Erudite it was painful.

"Whilst this reunion is adorable we have to move now no way that didn't get someone attention close by." That was Dres straight to the point, no time for dealing with other people's emotions. Nothing was worse as far as Dres was concerned than someone coming to her in tears, she wasn't kind and she had no patience for other people's problems.

Tris knew straight away the woman stood with her mother was Dauntless, she stood like a Dauntless moved like a Dauntless and her lack of patience and care for an emotional moment defiantly suggested Dauntless. There was something else about her that was familiar like she'd seen her before, her clothes though suggested she was factionless. Tris wondered if she was an initiate that had failed but no, she looked much too old for that. She looked closer to Four's age than her own.

Natalie lead the way around the back of the houses and into the city, been Abnegation she knew the area and been Dauntless meant she hadn't been able to resist the temptation of setting up escape routes through the city. Dres took the rear guarding their backs she could see Tris wasn't in a fit state to do it properly.

They'd barely made it half a block when they started getting shot at, making a break for a door way Dres kept walking backwards shooting at the Dauntless coming at them. She tried to aim for their legs, none fatal shoots but she'd always been a bad shot. Natalie at least was on it, pulling Dres and Tris into the doorway she made shot after shot until everyone was down.

Turning to see Tris standing over one of the Dauntless she was in shock it was obvious to see shaking she looked broken. She'd properly never killed anyone before Dres realised never taken a life, this was her first and by the look on her face she knew him.

"Dres that promise?" Natalie urged and Tris looked blankly at the two women wondering what was happening. Her mom was tightly gripping Dres' hands looking into her face.

"I promise."

"We have to move I'll go first." Natalie made it half way across the clearing before the shots started to ring out from their position Tris and Dres were able to take out the shooters as they made a break across to the other side Tris grabbing Natalie they ran past.

She'd been shot Dres could see it as Tris at her mother's insurance checked behind them to ensure they hadn't been followed into the ally way. She was dying, dropping to her knees Dres began to apply pressure to the wound but this was the spleen. Blood was coming thick and fast Natalie had barely moments left before she'd bleed out. Her eyes drifted shut as Tris pushed Dres back to get to her mother.

They didn't have time for this, they needed to move. "Tris we have to go… don't let her have died in vain we need to move!" Dres urged pulling on Tris's arm to get her to move to follow her further into the alley ways.

Busting into the old factory Tris began yelling for her Dad taking off between the machinery. Dres wanted to shoot her there on the spot how could she been such an idiot if there was anyone else in this building anyone who shouldn't be they had not cover now. They should have remained quiet until they found the others and got out of their but no Tris had to start mouthing off shouting for her Dad. Dres was sure Four would have trained her better than this, obviously she was wrong thinking Four would be able to pick up her old job easily after watching her through last year's initiation.

Thankfully however it seemed the only people she had alerted to their presences was the people they were looking for. Andrew Prior looked exactly as Dres remembered him, had it not been for his abnegation diet and life style she was sure he would have been a well-built man capable of fighting for his family. But Abnegation was weak they hid behind selfless acts and simple life styles. Sure this meant that Andrew was toned and strong but he had no real strength in those muscles in a fight he would quickly tire due to lack of protein and nutrients. The man next to him though might have worn the clothes of abnegation but Dres knew him to be a selfish man selfish and cruel. Marcus Eaton, a self-righteous bastard Dres had hoped he was dead killed in the attack or at the very least stuck their it was nothing less than what he deserved.

"We need to shut down the simulation." Tris stated looking up at her as her father worked to patch up his daughters wounded shoulder. She'd been shot before she and Natalie had found one another and finding Natalie had only happened by chance as she had searched for Four. Who had managed to send her a coded message that something was happening this morning giving her chance to get into the city. Her plan had been to watch from the roof tops but then she'd seen Four been lead away so she'd come down to save him. That was when she had run into Natalie Prior who had recognised her and asked for her help. She needed to get something from her house, all she would say was it was important. She'd also wanted to get her daughter to safety. Dres knew Tris was important to Four he'd mentioned her so she agreed to help understand Four could take care of himself.

"I don't know where they are controlling it from." Dres replied she knew Tris was right they needed to stop it but she didn't know how.

"Dauntless, Erudite has been shipping things in for weeks according to Four it must be in Dauntless." It made sense Dres nodded.

"Dauntless will be guarded though." Andrew pointed out. He had taken the death of his wife very well taking comfort in the fact she had died to save both Tris and Dres. He saw it as a good death a selfless death the kind any abnegation would be happy to die.

"There's away in." Tris stated looking up at Dres who just nodded understanding that Tris meant via the jump the initiates would take. It was less known, so likely less guarded if it was guarded at all. It was a solid plan they just had to get to the train.

Only the Prior's and Marcus Eaton would accompany them the rest of the escapee's would make for Amity, they should be safe out there. Standing just back from the tracks in the shadows of a building Dres carefully watched her watch. They need to time this perfect so they were in the open as little time as possible before they were on the train. "Now!" Dres told them as she ran out of the shadows and along the side of the track barely a moment later the train rounded the bend at speed and started down the straight they were running along.

Dres was the first to make the jump opening the train doors turning to pull Caleb and Andrew Prior on Tris jumping up after them. Dres wanted to leave Marcus as he struggled but Andrew… selfless Andrew reached out to help him on the train. Dres stepped away from the group walking to the window she stood and watched the buildings rushing by waiting until they would have to jump. She worried about Four as she stood there what they would be doing to him. What they would be testing him for and what they would test on him.

"Dres… Dresden?" Tris looked over at the woman stood opposite her looking out the train windows, "Dresden Coulter?" She asked finally putting two and two together, the name the facial familiarity was because she'd seen a photograph of her in Four's room the pair of them on her wedding day. She was Dresden Coulter. Four had told her about Dresden Eric's wife he said she had been killed trying to save a child from a fire in factionless a few weeks after the previous year's initiation. Her death had pushed Eric over the edge, made him the cold heartless bastard Tris had met. But here she was Tris was sure this woman was her alive and well. "You're her right, you're Dresden Coulter… Eric's wife?"

"No one calls me that anymore." Dres stated glancing back at Tris who couldn't believe it, she'd obviously seen photographs of Dresden Coulter. She knew she was friends with Four but she'd imagined Eric's wife to be much crueller, less understanding that she was in pain. She'd just automatically imagined that Eric's wife must have been just like him cold and malicious. So Dresden wasn't a warm cuddly peace loving Amity but she was much more complex… almost. Surely Four would have told her if he knew, but Four had said she was dead. Maybe though that was why she faked her death to hide it. "I am." Dres confirmed without Tris even needing to say anything a loud. "We need to get ready to jump." Dres stated nodding towards the rooftop that was coming up signalling the end of the discussion.

Tris made the jump first followed by Caleb and Andrew Prior, once making sure they were across safely Dres jumped leaving Marcus on the training hoping he fell to his death or landed awkward at the very least. Rolling straight to her feet Dres just walked past Tris who was helping her father and brother up and vaulted herself over the ledge and down into Dauntless pulling out her gun as she did ready to shoot anyone that might be down their guarding the entrance. Speed she knew they had to do this quickly before Tris opened her mouth. Whilst it was assumed all the Dauntless were under simulation and no one else knew of this entrance Dres also knew Eric wasn't stupid it was likely someone would be guarding it anyway. Tris telling her family what to do would be heard down here and alert anyone to a jumper giving them an easy shot as they landed in the net. This way though they wouldn't have a warning.

Dres was right there was one guard stood with his back to the net at the door, as she fell Dres managed to shoot him. Anyone in the building likely wouldn't be under simulation therefore Dres had little remorse as she hit the net and the guard crumpled to the ground. Clambering off the net Dres could hear Tris telling them what to do and how there was a net at the bottom to catch them.

Marcus was the last to fall and both Tris and Dres left him to struggle out of the net themselves, despite age it was Tris that lead the way through the hallways whilst Dres stayed at the back making sure they weren't attacked from behind. She held back with the others as Tris went to engage the guard they had found walking the halls. Apparently his name was Peter he looked so young he must have been an initiate this year as Dres didn't recognise him at all and previously training the initiates had been her job. Though apparently one that Four had taken over.

Peter lead them to what was been used as the control room though really the number of guards in the hall way outside the room screamed 'secret lair' here! That was when Andrew Prior proved his faction decision, doing the most selfless thing possible taking the gun Tris had given him with and walking out into the hall way launching a one man attack giving his life to take as many of theirs and clear an easier path for them as possible.

Tris had taken off down the hall way after her father and the promise Dres had made to Natalie Prior to protect Tris had her running after them. Tris was crouched by her fathers body when it happened… they'd missed a guard or well he was down but not out. Seeing Tris' back turned and the gun raised Dres had done the only thing she could think to do and put her body between them.

The only experience Dres had of been shot was the sim darts used in war games, she'd been shot by Eric in the shoulder the previous year during initiation as his team had beat hers. He'd just smirked pressed a kiss on her forehead and left her lying on the ground clutching at her shoulder. Later that morning though when they'd been back in their apartment he'd made it up to her.

The reality was those darts were a fraction of the pain that didn't wear off it was like burning flesh as the bullet entered her thigh. It didn't leave though but the pain had her falling to the floor grunting in pain. She couldn't scream a scream this close would be too loud it would alert the Erudite the other side of the door. So she bit her lip as she grumbled to the ground pressing her hand against the wound trying to apply pressure to prevent blood loss.

It though got Tris' attention away from her father as she turned and put another bullet in the guard that had just shot Dres. "You need to keep moving." Dres told Tris through gritted teeth. "Stop the simulation, find Four." She insisted as Tris began to fuss over her leg but stopped at the commands Dres was giving her. Tris knew it was right, the wound wasn't fatal it wouldn't kill Dres and they had little time.

"I am going to stay here and try to not bleed out if you want to go in and end this preferably quite quickly and preferably without my help that would be great." Dres groaned as she pulled herself into a sitting position still applying pressure to the bullet wound in her leg it wasn't a throw shot which meant the bullet was still in her leg. That was good for the bleeding but bad for infection and other wonderful things like that not to mention possible muscle damage. Right now though leaving it in and binding the wound was her best bet.

As Tris headed into the control room, Dres took her knife to her top cutting away at the material to create a bandage. Caleb Prior crouched down in front of her to help her bind her leg. "The bullet needs to come out."

"It will once we are out of here." Dres stated leaning back against the wall letting her hands fall away from her now bound leg taking deep breaths trying to push the pain to the back of her mind.

"At the moment the evidence would suggest the bullet has missed any major arteries moving whilst the bullet remains inside your body risks allowing it to sever such an artery killing you." Bloody Erudite was all Dres could think, Erudite's and there theory the seldom worked in reality.

"Congratulations Erudite you read a book on field injuries reality doesn't work like that Erudite you take the bullet out now without the correct equipment without knocking me the chances of permanent damage are greatly increased this hall is filthy increasing the chance of infection. I can't pull this damn bullet out myself and you've only ever read a book on it again increasing the chance of damage. Four will deal with it once Tris returns with him. Right now we just need to cover it up stem the bleeding." Four had pulled a couple of bullets out a few people not least her husband. She knew that still pissed Eric off that Four had saved his life in Factionless. He'd been shot the bullet was still lodged in his shoulder he hadn't been able to use his arm because of it and they needed to fight their way out. So Four had dug the bullet out and stitched him up best he could in the basement of an abandoned office block. He'd done pretty good work, the doctor at Dauntless had complimented it as he'd changed the stitches and re dressed it with sterile bandages. So if anyone was touching her leg it would be Four or if desperate Tris under her instruction basic first aid was taught during initiation.

"It doesn't sound good in there." Marcus Eaton commented from the door way and Dres wanted to throw something at him for his stupid comment. She too could hear the sounds of a definite fight going on. She didn't understand why Tris wasn't shooting them, she had a gun an Erudite with a gun couldn't outwit a Dauntless with a gun so what the fuck was she doing. Groaning, Dres pulled herself up and headed into the control room clutching her leg hoping the pressure might dull the pain putting weight had caused on it.

Shit! Was her first thought as she saw Tris fighting Four, obviously the Erudite bitch had found a way of controlling Divergents. Tris was losing as well her unwillingness to hurt Four was costing her and Four had he pinned to the ground, even with her gun pointed at Four Dres knew Tris was on the verge of losing this fight because she'd never pull the trigger. Then Tris did something no one was expecting she turned the gun on herself and refused to let Four look away as she told him it was okay and she loved him. She was offering herself up to be die, which was either incredibly brave or very stupid.

But Four wasn't pulling the trigger, Dres didn't really catch what happened until Four was shooting at the Erudite helping Tris. Dres fell back against the door listening to the fight listening to Tris demand, threaten try everything she could to get Jeanine to stop the simulation. She couldn't see what happened but something must have because the next thing she knew was Tris and Four were running out the room.

"Wow you look like death." Four commented crouching down next to her as they got to the door.

"Fuck you." Dres snarled as Four helped her stand when it became obvious she wouldn't be able to run he just swept her up into his arms. Looking to Tris his eyes met his fathers, rage filled his own but they didn't have time for this. Didn't have time for his father who was looking at him in shock.

"We need to move." Four stated holding Dres against his body as he started down the halls they'd need to fight there way out in a moment he couldn't help Tris holding Dres but at the same time he wasn't about to leave her.

"Your back… I can hold on and you can have your arms free." Dres stated and Four agreed putting her down before turning so she could climb on his back. And that was how they fought their way out of Dauntless Dres clung to his back like a monkey. The only time she really got in the way was running for the train. But once on board he placed her on the ground.

"The train is too bumpy you'll have to look at it when we get off." Dres told him before nodding her head signalling for him to go to Tris. Whilst Caleb crouched beside her and began to wrap bandages he'd made from his shirt around her leg to cover those from her shirt already soaked in blood. "Thank you." She smiled at the Erudite kid before leaning back and letting her eyes drift closed fuck she was tired.


	3. Chapter 2

Eric has to sit as they review the security footage on the computers back in Erudite. He's already ignored medical advice and discharged himself from the infirmary, the bullet was out of his leg and he was strapped up that was all that matter as far as he was concerned. But standing wasn't overly comfortable so he'd ended up sat on the edge of a desk. "We haven't been able to identify the fifth member of the group… but she knew Dauntless that was for sure she is skilful never showing her face or any determining features to the camera."

There was something familiar about the brunette head of hair facing the camera but Eric couldn't figure it out. He needed to see her face, profile something over than the back of her head and vintage army jacket. "She was shot though surely the person who shot her could identify her?"

"They are all dead and the only guard who would have seen her face ran with them." The Initiate Peter ambitious and ruthless but still a coward it didn't surprise Eric to discover he'd been pressured into helping them and then run with them after. He should have been under simulation Max had been wrong to let him out, to let him stay and guard.

"So we have nothing on her?"

"We can guess she was likely born Dauntless or a Dauntless Initiate that failed and ended up Factionless. She's defiantly factionless her clothing tells us that." One of the Erudite in the room started hypothersing based on the things he could see and Eric just wanted to punch him. Fucking idiot they weren't facts she could have found the clothes or made them herself to disguise herself.

"Just leave." Jeanine stated from where she was stood dead centre in front of the screen her hand bandaged from where the stiff had thrown a knife through it. Everyone left only Eric stayed knowing the command didn't pertain to him. "Do you think she is Dauntless?" Jeanine asked him as she took the side door from the conference room into her office Eric sighed before following her.

"Undoubtedly the way she holds herself the surety she walks through Dauntless with. She was in the very least born there, properly an initiate too." Her office was exactly as he expected it, white with natural wooden furniture. There was one thing that surprised him and that was the picture of him on her desk. Reaching for it he picked the picture up and looked at the teenage boy standing in the picture in a blue suit he had no tattoo's or piercings and a full head of hair. This picture had only been taken six years ago but in reality it felt like a life time ago.

"Brunettes that failed initiation?" His mother asked him taking the photograph off him and placing it back in its place he noted it was next to one of his mother and father on their wedding day. And that just confirmed his original thought it wasn't their because she cared it was there for show.

"A fair few I would suspect I don't commit them to memory." Eric responded whilst picking up the model of the brain on his mother's desk before dropping into one of the seats and playing with it as he spoke. "Why are you so focused on her anyway it's the Divergents you want?"

"She was an uncalculated variable." Ah so it was just a matter of his mother's pride her plan didn't work, he carefully laid out highly logical plan. She needed a scape goat as to why it didn't work.

"You got what you wanted, you're in charge of the Government. What does it matter how you got there?"

"The box requires a Divergent to open it… find them, all of them. The labs are working on tech to identify Divergents once its ready you and max will take the remainder of Dauntless at search Amity."

"How long before the tech?"

"About a week should give you plenty of time to have your leg better… my understanding is the bullet hit nothing vital?" Of course she'd read his medical report, though she needed to be careful it almost sounded like she cared that he'd been hurt.

"Soft tissue."

"Good so you should be fit and back on active duty by then." Eric wanted to make some sarcastic comment about how it was so good to know his mother cared. He'd been shot, at point blank range in the leg and all she cared about was when he'd be back on active duty. That was the mother he knew and despised.

"I guess so."

Amity, Dres had woken up in Amity she'd passed out from the blood lose at some point on the train and woke up in Amity. The only blessing had been the 'Doctor' from Amity stood at the end of her bed was her brother. "Morning sleepy head." He'd smiled at her as she 'd started to wake up, "Don't strain yourself yet, we don't exactly have blood on hand in Amity you're lucky we are the same type but I couldn't give you much. The bullet's out though, good news is it didn't do in permanent damage we should have you up and walking by the end of the week. Light exercise though don't want you ripping Four's beautiful stitches."

"Hale." Dres smiled reaching for her big brothers hand she'd missed him, his soothing voice and happy go lucky charm. It hadn't been a surprise to her when her father came back from the choosing ceremony without him. Halston could take care of himself he was built like a tank but he also hated violence he was unbelievably squeamish too. He just didn't fit in at Dauntless which was a shame because he was gay and Dauntless was one of the very few factions where that was okay. Well one of only two, Amity was the other. He fitted in here though and she could see it as he came to crouch next to her he looked relaxed calm and happy.

"It's good to see you D." He ran his thumb over her cheek bone making her smile affectionately back at him. "When the mail came from Dauntless to tell me you were dead… why would you do that D?"

"I had to get out of Dauntless or I really would have been dead."

"But you had people who loved you D, surely they would have protected you."

"I love you Hale, really I do but you have such a naïve view of the world."

"You didn't see Eric at your memorial what loosing you did to you." As the wife of a Dauntless leader she'd warranted a memorial service at the hub. One she attended herself from a far standing on the roof watching as Eric had sat stoically in the front row beside his mother. He didn't move during the whole ceremony instead he just sat their emotionless staring at the urn of 'her' asses. She knew everything Eric had gone through she'd watched him through so many of the moments and made Four tell her everything. It had been hard to hear often making her want to just walk back into Dauntless and crawl back into bed with him and hold him, comfort him but she knew she couldn't do that.

"You don't understand what was at stake Hale. You don't understand the decisions I had to save him from."

"I don't think I could ever understand D. You need to get some more sleep though… Four said he will come by later to visit you." Hale spoke as he gave her something to drink and Dres found herself drifting into unconsciousness despite previously not feeling sleepy. Bloody peace loving druggies Dres found herself cursing as she drifted back to sleep.

Four hadn't been there the next time she'd awoken in the middle of the night no one had. So she'd got out of the bed wincing at the shooting pains in her leg as she put weight on it but still managed to limp out of the hut she'd been in. The sky was cloudless tonight which left a bitter chill in the air but that didn't stop Dres as she pulled herself on to the roof of the hut. She managed without ripping her stitches which she was grateful for. Laying back she just looked up at the stars.

 _"_ _You're going to freeze out here one night." Eric's voice came from behind her as she stood looking out at the city lights twinkling in the dark whilst behind her the only light source was the stars stretching for seemingly ever into the distance. She didn't turn to look at him just stayed looking out at the city as she felt his arms wrap around her waist his lips pressing a kiss to the side of her head before he rested his chin on her shoulder. "What's wrong?" He asked running his thumb over stomach._

 _"_ _It's nothing really I just have this bad feeling… everything is so perfect I just don't want it too end." Dres sighed sinking back into his body as Eric tightened his arms around her._

 _"_ _Is this about going back on patrol tomorrow?" He asked turning his head so he could look at her profile, "It's okay to be nervous Princess but you'll have Four there with you and I won't be far away."_

 _"_ _You hate Four yet you trust him with my life?" Dres laughed at the irony how Eric could trust by his own admission his most prized possession, his soul, into the hands of the man he hated most in the world._

 _"_ _I hate Four but you trust him… you do good work together." Dres smiled relaxing slightly it was true she and Four did do good work together, it was why they were the top ranking pair. They'd solved more disputes and put down more factionless trouble makers than any other pairing in Dauntless. Properly only because it was rare for the leaders to actually do any of the leg work. But she'd been hurt last time falling fifteen feet and suffering quite the concussion. Four had pulled her from the rubble but it didn't stop the nerves about going back out there. She'd hated the desk work though and Eric had bared the brunt of her bad mood resulting from her restlessness._

 _"_ _I won't let anything happen to you." Eric placed another kiss on her temple before they just fell into a comfortable silence Dres wrapped in Eric's arms as they watched the city lights twinkle like the stars behind them._

"Eric?!" Max's voice came from behind him and Eric pushed away from the balcony railing turning to look at his fellow Dauntless leader. "Dr Coulter wants to see you in his office now!" Max stated before looking at Eric again, "What are you doing out here?" He asked wearily. Eric knew Max didn't have to ask he knew full well what today was. Stuffing the chain in the palm of his hand back in his pocket Eric turned and walked back into the building.

"Waiting for a job to do." He stated as he passed Max before heading down the corridors to Doctor Henry Coulter's office. He wondered if his father cared about pretences enough as his mother as to have a picture of his only son in his office. Eric doubted it, if there was anyone he'd seen less in his childhood than his mother it was the brilliant Doctor Henry Coulter.

"You are supposed to be in bed." Four stated as he sat down next to Dres on the roof watching the sun rise occurring through the tree's to the east.

"Well since apparently I've spent the last three days asleep forgive me for no longer been tired."

"Your body needed time to heal."

"My brother said you did the stitches nice work there." Dres smiled at him whilst lifting the skirt she'd been given to wear showing him his work still intact in her leg. "I was careful not to rip them as I climbed up her."

"Damn they even got you in a skirt."

"The minute they let me get to my bag I'll be back in my jeans I have a spare pair and a shirt in my bag… what did you do with my jacket?"

"It's with your bag under your bed if you'd bothered to look."

"So everything is fucked up."

"Yeah I guess it is."

"We can't stay here forever Four."

"I know… but for now you just need to get better and then we can discuss this."

"It's a year today." Dresden whispered looking down at the twigs and plant life growing out of the roof around her picking at bits. A year ago today she had run into a burning building in front of her husband and faked her death. Let the man she loved believe she was burnt to death in fiery explosion, when in reality she'd run through the building and set the explosion herself leaving the corpse of a nameless factionless woman in the room to burn in her place.

Four didn't know what to say to that so instead he just climbed back down and left Dres alone to her thoughts on the roof. She might not have been back in her bed like Halston had asked him to get her to do. But she wasn't at risk of doing further damage to her leg whilst she was just sitting up there watching the sky.

The days passed by quickly and with each day Dresden grew stronger until she was able to eat with them. She noticed as she sat beside Tris at lunch that Marcus was seated the other side of the mess hall. Wanting to ask Four how he was feeling but knowing now wasn't the time as the initiate came and sat down with his food. He was a dick she'd quickly worked that one out worse he was a selfish dick.

After lunch Dresden followed Four to the wood line, they had an hour after eating before afternoon chores started and whilst Dresden was still 'sick' and therefore on light work mainly caring for the horses in particular a white mare she'd taken a shining too. Four was working long hard days in the fields to earn their keep in Amity.

"You need to go Dresden back to factionless and stay there…" Four's sudden statement shocked Dres causing her to stop and turn back to face him.

"This is my fight, I am where I am supposed to be." She argued, she was Divergent just like him and Tris this was as much her fight as it was there's.

"Eric thinks you are dead staying with us means it's only a matter of time before he finds out the truth."

"Then I put my fate in his hands." Her temper had always been short and fiery and it was hanging by a thread as she spat the words at Four hurt by his insulations that she would run and cower from this fight because of Eric.

"He isn't the same Eric you remember Dresden! He might not save you. Losing you destroyed what little good there was in you, losing you meant he didn't have a reason to live to fight the darkness anymore so he let it consume him."

"The decision has been made Four, I am staying… I can't keep hiding forever I never should have run not without giving him a chance first." There is was laid out bare at Four's feet Dresden's biggest regret was not trusting Eric. Running without even giving him a chance not because of who he was then but because of his Erudite past. "I was supposed to love and trust him Four and I let him down. Everything he is today everything he became that's on me because I couldn't trust him enough with my secret when he shared all of his."

"He made his own choices Dresden and they left you with a hard one. No one could blame you for not trusting him with your secret when he was actively seeking Divergents in Dauntless for Erudite." Dres knew Four was right, that based on the evidence she'd made the logical choice not to trust Eric but to run instead. Yet love wasn't logical, trust wasn't logical either she should have told him she should have given him a chance. Nothing Four could say would change how she felt about that.

"I am staying with you and Tris Four, we need to end this not just for us but for Abnegation and everyone else like us."

"Stubborn as always." Four laughed reaching for Dres and pulling her into a hug, "We'll do it together, you Tris and I we'll end this together."

"How is she Tris? She went through a lot losing both her parents like that…" Curiosity and concern fuelled Dres' questions also the desire to change the subject as she turned and started to walk along the edge of the wood again.

Dres was stronger on her leg now her footing surer, still in pain but more a dull ache than crippling shooting pain. Her quick recovery and pain management no doubt fuelled by the pastes and concoctions her brother kept feeding her. Amity might be old school in its medicine but sometimes old school remedies where just as good if not better than the serum cooked up in the Erudite labs.

"She has nightmares… she pretends they don't happen and I pretend I don't know."

"Pretending everything is okay helps no one Four she needs to talk about it you need to get her to talk about it."

"I am sure she will come to me when she is ready." Dres knew this was a lie Four told himself as comfort, at least she hoped he knew it was a lie. Tris would never be ready to talk about what had happened on that day just a week ago.

"We don't have time for herself pity Four she is more and more on edge every day she is a time bomb you need to diffuse it."

"Because you are much better." Four didn't mean to lash out at Dres, but he couldn't help feeling defensive of Tris when the person attacking her was no better. Tris might have nightmares but at least she slept now off the drugs Four hadn't seen Dres sleep at all. She was awake when he went to bed and she up before him. She couldn't speak about guilt consuming Tris when it was obviously controlling her.

"I learnt to live with my guilt long ago."

 _A/N Hey guys so just to let you know this story follows a combination of the book and film timelines taking bits from both but it does use the aging from the films so Dres, Four and Eric are all 24 and Tris is 18 it just fits better for the story gives Dres and Eric a more realistic relationship timetable too._


	4. Chapter 3

"I am really worried about Tris." Four stated as he played with some of the kids they loved his strength and ability to play. Dres though well they didn't like her so much and tended to give her a wide space as she sat on the rocks to the left of Four. Four seemed to have this Amity thing down, Dres not so much. Not that she understood how Four could be so kind it wasn't like he'd been shown any kindness in his life.

"She still not talking to you?" Dres asked picking at long strands of grass growing around the rock she sat on. She'd noticed Tris wasn't getting any better in fact she was getting worse instead of dealing with her guilt she was letting it consume her. She was become rash and short tempered. What was worse was the unease it was causing in Amity. Soon they would grow fed up of her 'bad energy' and they would be out. Halston had already mentioned their presence was causing friction.

"Oh she talks to me about everything but what we need to talk about."

"Have you tried to force the subject?"

"She just shuts down blanks and tells me she's fine." That didn't surprise Dres, a few days ago Tris had cut her hair off. She'd done a terrible job of it too but Dres had managed to neaten it out. She'd read about that sort of thing in some of Eric's books on mental health, though why he'd had them Dres didn't have a clue she never saw him read them. She believed Tris was showing typical signs of post-traumatic stress cutting her hair was a desperate cry for help and attempt to destroy the girl that had once existed.

There wasn't really any treatment for post-traumatic stress before the war there had been drugs that helped the healing process but the books documented various cases each of them had different solutions and different out comes. It seemed a very hit and miss illness sometimes you could 'cure' it though really Dres doubted for the work it was cured merely the patient found a way to live with it. Talking though the one thing Tris wasn't doing was the only way that showed any great promise in curing this mental disease.

"Earth to Dresden…. Where did you go?" Four asked now crouching in front of her looking at her with concern.

"Eric used to have books on something called post-traumatic stress disorder I think it's what Tris is suffering from. I was trying to remember if there was another way to help her… but from what I remember talking was the only real thing that helped them."

"We have to go do chores, you are meant to be taking that horse out today to stretch its legs." The white horse she'd been grooming and nursing Dahlia. They'd been undergoing recovery together after Dahlia had to have surgery on her knee today was the first day she was going to be ridden since her surgery. And since they had formed some kind of bond Halston who was in charge of the horses agreed it should be Dres that rode her.

"She has a name Dahlia." Dres stated as she slid down the rock and landed just in front of Four. He looked down at her and saw a softness in her eyes he'd seldom seen before as she spoke of the horse.

"I know; you care for her well." He noted as they walked towards the stables as the bells to start morning chores began ringing.

Riding Dahlia nothing compared taking her out beyond the wall into the amity farms letting her run free. She felt free for the first time in a long time Dres didn't feel like she had the weight of a world on her shoulders. Slowing Dahlia back down to a walk Dres leant forward patting the horse's neck as a congratulations'. Running her hand through the glossy white coat affectionately Dres just stared mindlessly ahead. They said there were monsters out their waiting for them to venture to far from the wall. Could they really be any worse than the monsters inside the walls though? What would it be to just take Dahlia and keep riding off into the sunset.

Too easy… that's what it would be, cowardice. She made a vow to Four and Tris she would help them end this. She'd taken the cowards option before and run and all that had done was thrust her into a world of pain. It was time to face up to her problems and not run.

They always sat together at lunch tried to hide at the edge of the dome away from the Amity so no one would notice them whilst avoiding the bread like the plague. It wasn't a secret Amity drugged the bread with peace serum and none of them wanted to be drugged up. Halston sometimes came and sat with them, enjoying the company of his little sister again he would claim. But Dres was sure it was more to keep an eye on them. He'd changed so much since she had last seen him, he still looked like her big brother but he just wasn't the Halston she remembered.

Dres had barely finished picking her food when she heard it across the dome the sound of plates glittering and the gasp of the Amity. She didn't have to turn and look to know Tris had finally snapped, likely at Peter he'd been pushing every ones' buttons since they'd arrived in Amity. But Tris was running on a considerably shorter fuse. Putting her plate down Dres just stood there waiting for the inevitable. "MY OFFICE NOW!" and there it was Johanna's seemingly infinite patience had snapped.

Not saying a word Dres followed them over to the stables and up into Johanna's office. She didn't sit with the rest of them she wasn't the diplomatic one that was Four's job he'd also need to calm Tris down. And right now all Dres wanted to do was slap some sense into the idiot girl. She got that Tris was 'ill' she was suffering but her rash decisions were going to get all of them hurt. She needed to get it under control she needed to accept there was something wrong and fucking talk about it!

Standing on the balcony looking over the horses Dres just waited, barely listening to the conversation it was more just background noise. It was drowning the conversation out that mean she was able to hear the trucks before anyone else. Stepping away from the balcony she walked over to the window and saw the Dauntless trucks taking out the fences as they barged their way into Amity.

"We've got a problem." Dres stated walking back to the group as the trucks started to pull up around Amity and Dauntless soldiers began climbing out the backs. This was a small invading force.

"Stay here." Johanna told them before heading down from her office to create the truck that had just pulled up in front of the stables.

Dres walked back to the window followed by Four whilst Tris stayed with Caleb and Peter. Trying to remain far enough back they couldn't be seen but get a good enough view of bellow Four used his height whilst Dres crouched low and close to the wall using the lower half of the window.

He was there on the other side of the glass Dres' fingers traced the profile of his body on to the glass no longer caring what was been said just captivated by him. But it had been like that from the start, Eric had just affected her in ways she'd never felt before. What was the phrase, he'd 'stolen her breath'.

 _"_ _Dresden?!" Lauren shouted at her as she stopped paying attention to the knives been thrown her interest had been peaked by the transfer using the closest punching bag. She'd stopped throwing and turned her full attention to watching him. He was the Erudite transfer Eric Coulter currently ranked 1_ _st_ _. A big physical guy it was easy to see why stage one of initiation was benefitting him. Dres could have sworn as she watched his body move, his tank top so tight it left nothing to the imagination, that his muscles had muscles._

 _"_ _Earth calling Dresden!" Lauren had stepped in front of her now knocking Dres back to earth with an embraced bump. She could have sworn she could see the Erudite smirk as she turned back to the targets. Dres couldn't believe she'd been caught mooning over a guy she was supposed to be Dauntless, strong and fearless. Strong and fearless women didn't just stand there staring at guys they thought where hot they did something about it. She prided herself in doing something about it never before had she been shy around a guy if she found someone attractive she went for them and usually got what she wanted._

 _Picking up a knife Dres could feel Eric's gaze on her back as she aimed for the target. It was the worse miss she'd ever thrown sure the throw was aggressive with a lot of force behind it but it was lodged into the wooden surround. In her anger Dres threw three knives in quick succession each of them this time lodging themselves deep in the target but none of them hitting that elusive centre. His presence, his gaze and she was crumbling her usual form and composure slipping. Missing wasn't uncommon she wasn't the best shot but losing her temper was. She always had the tightest grip on her emotions._

 _"_ _You're not taking gravity into account." Eric stated as he walked over to her. The rest of the initiates had already left for the evening but Eric had stayed behind stood watching as Dres kept throwing blades at the target never hitting her mark. "You have to throw in an arc to counter act the effects of gravity. Your stance as well it's all wrong."_

 _Eric didn't give her chance to come back or to tell him to fuck off before he was pressing his body against his. Kicking her legs apart to give her a stronger stance placing his hand on her stomach pulling her up. Running his hands up her arms her pulled her shoulders back opening up her chest before running his right hand back down her arm taking her hand which held the knife in his hand. Letting his left hand slip back down to her stomach her turned them so she was angled from the target._

 _Lifting her arm to the throwing stance Eric bent his lips to her ear, "aim above where you want it. Pick the spot and focus on it, you're going to get your body behind the knife as well turn yourself into the throw." Taking the blade from her and slipping it in her belt Eric made her move through the throwing motion a few times._

 _Dres was trying to take in what he was saying but his smell, the warmth of his body it was all intoxicating. It was going in one ear and out of the other, he could have been saying anything she wasn't listening to the words just the deep soothing timber of his voice. The cool metal slipping back in her hand and the warmth of Eric's body leaving her should have bought her back to Earth but she was so intoxicated on him so relaxed she just threw the knife without thinking. Bang! The blade hit dead center of the circle. "Wow." Dres breathed out dropping the stance and turning to find Eric was gone. The training room was empty as though he had never been there at all._

"You know you're awfully stuck in that doorway Lady." This at least registered in Dres' brain as a threat as Eric stepped around Johanna and into the stable. Four was straight into pushing the rest of the group towards the window.

"What's up there?" They all froze at the sound of Eric's voice at the bottom of the stairwell directly below them. He was going to come up the stairs and Dres knew this was it. He was going to find her, the fairy tales told to Amity kids would have them believing that Eric would change back to the man he knew at the first sight of her. Fall to his knees weeping with joy at the sight of his dead wife alive and well in front of him. Dres didn't hold that much hope, she knew he'd likely be angry.

The bottom step creaked when Dahlia snorted and started moving restlessly around in her stall. Halston had told her horses were intelligent they could sense the discomfort of their carer. Was this what this was, could Dahlia sense her discomfort and so was acting out. The step creaked again as Eric moved off it and started down the stable. Dres turned to watch Eric.

Whilst the other started for the window Dresden stepped closer to the edge of the balcony watching Eric. As he looked around seeing no one before his attention turned to Dahlia, he looked so sad and yet as though he where in a rare moment of peace as he stroked his hand over the horses' neck. Dres found a bitter irony in how it was this horse that had caught his attention, Dahlia. She'd once told him as they'd been curled up in bed reading, her an old novel him various reports, that she dream of owning a white horse she could take out beyond the wall and just ride, be free. He'd merely kissed the top of her head and called her his little Dauntless. God what she would have done in that moment to go to him to hold him, to have him hold her, just one last time. Watching him, seeing him, her life began to seem worth it to feel those lips one last time get lost in the blue of his eyes one last time.

"DRESDEN!" Four's hissed whisper caught her attention pulling her back to the now and the understanding she had to run. If she didn't Eric would be forced to choose between his family and her – his wife. Stepping back from the edge Dresden stole one last look at Eric before running over to the window just as Peter ran past her and started shouting for Eric.

Frantically Four had pushed Tris and Caleb through the window first before pulling Dres through as well who had frozen at the sound of the footsteps running for them. She'd never been crippled by fear before in her life previously it had always woken her up, that shot of adrenaline through her body. Her favorite sensation so much so she used to crave it seek it out anyway possible everything came clearer as the high hit. But as the footsteps made it to the bottom of the stares the fear of Eric's reaction should he see her was crippling her.

Tris and Four had already taken care of the guards picking up their guns by the time Caleb Prior was pulling at her arm to get her to jump down and run. Shaking her head Dresden forced herself to run following Tris, Four and Caleb without looking back. From this angle she could just be a dark skinned brunette Amity or hell factionless caught in the cross fire. Eric wouldn't be able to recognize her not from such a distant she just had to keep that distance.

"The Window!" Peter, the initiate, told him pointing to the window but it was too late they were gone turning he caught sight of four of them one of them defiantly Four running towards the dome.

"Alright I got four on foot making a break toward the dome!" Eric radioed over, "I repeat four on foot towards the dome." Finally, he heard the gun shots he was waiting for and took off down the stairs calling back for the other two Dauntless with him to detain Peter. Running from the building he jumped up onto the side of one of the trucks. Following the four runners up towards the woods, the truck couldn't follow them in there he knew that's why Four was leading them that way but the trucks would help close the distance.

Breaking into the woods Dres slowed dramatically and pulled her knife from her boot. Tris and Four had to move there was no chance anyone would protect them in Erudite but she had a chance. It was tiny but there was a chance she could survive this. "Dres!" Four called back to her slowing his run as he noticed she'd stopped and was now standing behind a tree.

"RUN!" She mouthed at him and was grateful when Caleb who'd caught up to him pushed him forward and he took off running the sound of the train growing louder as it grew closer.

Closing her eyes Dres focused on the sound of boots hitting the ground behind her letting it fill her as she focused on the lead set growing closer she knew it would be Eric. Adjusting her grip on her tiny knife she dropped it back into her boot unable to actually hurt him before she took off running to the left diving at him from a side tackling him down to the ground. Catching him by surprise had been her greatest asset attacking him at speed had not only taken him to the ground but cause a few of the other closest Dauntless at least to stop. Putting more valuable space between the Dauntless attackers and Tris, Four and Caleb.

Rolling over him but staying crouched to ensure she could use her weight in another strike if required. Dresden watched Eric shake off the pain of the hit plant his hands on the ground either side of him and push up. She could feel the eyes of the other Dauntless on her trained with guns as Eric began to move. But they didn't matter the fact they could shoot her at any second didn't matter all that mattered was the reaction of the man in front of her and she had never been more terrified in her life.

The hit had come out of nowhere he could just see the color of their clothing through the tree's when pain had come crashing into his side sending him down. The attack had been so fast he hadn't been able to brace himself and his head went cracking into the ground he felt sick and dizzy at the contact. His body naturally rolled on to its front curling to protect himself from any further attack whilst he screwed his eyes and focused his breathing trying to push the pain and fuzziness from his head.

Vaguely he could hear gun shots up a head, he knew by instinct there were other Dauntless surround him and whoever had attacked him he was guessing he was about to find out who the mystery brunette running with them was. Pushing his hands into the dirt he managed to get on to his hands and knees blinking a couple of times his vision cleared up and he was able to look up at his attacker.


	5. Chapter 4

"No!" If he hadn't felt sick before he was certainly feeling that way now. He shook his head trying to clear his vision sure he was hallucinating with the force his head had hit the compacted dirt bellow him. Briefly he wondered if his head had landed on a rock, but he knew that not to be true and he knew the hit though hard enough to startle him was hardly worthy of hallucinations. She was real, crouched in front of him she looked unsure half ready to crumble half ready to attack. But god she was beautiful her hair wild the colour of the darkest most decadent chocolate, her lips big red the bottom one was split it looked as though it had been healing but had re opened when she attacked him blood was pooling in the corner of her mouth. He wanted to reach over wipe it away and claim those lips. He'd dreamt of this of her been alive. They'd been his favourite dreams the ones he never wanted to wake up from.

The reality though, that was something totally different. Instead of love and relief he felt little more than anger and betrayal. If she wasn't dead, she hadn't been taken from him – she'd chosen to leave him. He had done nothing but love her, treasure her, support her, follow her stupid fucking rules and let Four live and she had just walked away from him. Part of him wanted to attack her hurt her but he knew what would hurt her more. Killing Four, her other brother. Killing her brother he could kill the both Halston York had transferred to Amity he'd be here somewhere he could kill him too. Growling he pushed himself to his feet and took off the stragglers still running around them so he knew despite it feeling like minutes since she'd taken him down in reality barely seconds had past. Not even bothering to shout back an instruction to detain her he took off sprinting through the woods desperate to catch them. He had to kill Four, had to make her suffer as she had made him suffer.

"ERIC!" He could hear her screaming his name as he took off clearly she'd been expecting him to fight her not run from her. She'd hoped to delay him but as he reached the edge of the woods where the rest of the Dauntless where been held back amongst the tree's by Four who stood alone firing at them. Four stopped though and the Stiff took over, she was a shit shot and Eric knew it as he made a break from the tree's aiming for Four as he ran for the tracks making a last minute dive in front of the train.

With no line of sight, he couldn't guarantee he was hitting anything but that didn't stop him from shooting at the train running alongside empting all his available rounds at the train until it was gone too far ahead of him to catch.

Dresden dropped to her knees as Eric took off after Tris, Four and Caleb she'd seen the rage on his face before he'd got up and ran after them. She knew the he hated her, he would kill her when he found out and he would do so without remorse. So she just submitted to the Dauntless around her dropping her head she let them stand guard over her. There was only two of them she could have taken them down and made a run for it. But there was no point not anymore.

Hours felt like they passed by in reality it was properly no more than five ten minutes say stayed knelt in the dirt waiting for Eric to return and determine her fate. She wondered if he'd test her discover her secret and send her for whatever they wanted to Divergent's for. Or if he would just execute her there in the middle of the woods, she guessed at least there where worse places to go. She'd always likes the woods as a child she used to run away to them and climb the trees. Amity was the only fraction she'd scored low on, the only one she'd ever fully ruled out perhaps then it was irony that she would die there.

"Put her in one of the trucks, cuff her first." Eric snapped as he walked past, he didn't stop didn't even look at her just kept walking back to Amity. The two guards cuffed her wrists behind her back after pulling her to her feet and then pushed her forward forcing her to walk back to Amity.

Max, her cousin, was the next to step in front of her. Unlike Eric he had plenty to say storming over from his position to strike her across the face sending her to her knees. "You disgusting coward! Faking your own death running from your Faction you are a disgrace." He spat at her. His rage was obvious. Max had mourned her death, loved his cousin and now here she was in front of him flesh and blood insultingly alive and healthy. Max dragged her to her feet and pulled her over to the closest Dauntless with a scanner. Eric was watching she could feel his gaze from where he stood beside the truck as Max lifted the device to scan her.

"Divergent." Dres just let her eyes drift shut not wanting to see Eric's reaction as she swallowed. Accepting that no matter whether she survived Amity she would die soon, either executed for Divergence or she'd die in whatever testing Erudite was doing.

Max just scoffed pushing her towards the other Divergent to be taken for testing, "I am not sure if this is your lucky day or your unluckiest. Is what Jeanine is going to do to you really any easier than taking a step into the chasm where you belong?"

He didn't want to hear the result he wished he'd never heard it. He'd known from the second he looked up and saw her crouched in front of him he'd somehow known. And yet hearing it still cut deep it hurt places he'd not felt in his chest for over a year. Not wanting to hear anything more Eric climbed into the front of the truck and pulled out his tablet. The idea of killing Halston York gone, he just wanted out of Amity now.

Whilst there were aspects of today he wanted to change, not letting the Stiff's get away for one, they had manged to uncover six Divergents. Jeanine would surely be happy having so many new Divergent's to try and open her box with. Hopefully that would quell some of the anger he knew was coming when they had to tell her they'd lost Four and Tris Prior as well.

"You okay?" Max asked climbing into the driver's seat of the truck and pulling out of Amity. Eric just didn't answer talking about feelings wasn't the Dauntless or Erudite way so he'd never done it and he wasn't about to start to now. Instead he just stared out the window, trying to work out how she had done it how she had faked her death… Four had to have been in on it. He'd go as far as to add Tori Wu to that list as well she'd likely helped plan everything. She must have just run straight through the building using the explosion to make a break for it out of the back whilst everyone else was so focused on the flames and him. He must have played right into her plan distracting everyone in his desperation to get into the building to chase after her, to try and save her.

It was clever he would give them that, he even wondered who the body had really belonged to. The fire had made the only thing recognisable her wedding ring obviously something she'd chosen to leave behind. With him.

"Coulter, Eric!" Of course he was the first to go because no one his age could possibly have a surname beginning with A or B he grumbled as he climbed from his seat beside his parents and walked down to the stage to make his decision. It was easy he'd known for years where he would be going and began training accordingly. Taking the knife, he slit the palm of his hand and let his droplets of blood his as the fell of the hot coals the dauntless began cheering for his decision as he walked over to join them.

Dorne, Emma Amity born stayed in her faction was followed by Eaton, Tobias a stiff. Eric was sure the Stiff would remain just that a stiff it was rare they chose anything else. What was even rarer was the decision this stiff made as his blood hissed landing on the coals be he walked towards Eric and took the seat next to him.

Around seventy more 18 year olds made their choices fifteen of them so far joining dauntless of which four where girls and ten where dauntless born. The final name was called out, "York, Dresden." And a young woman climbed from her seat behind them. She was stunning small but perfectly proportioned her clothes left little to the imagination and her hair thick black waves hung wild and loose around her head. He'd seen her a few times before around the school but never known her name he shared no classes with her just a lunch break and then she was always with the other Dauntless kids doing what had then seemed like stupid reckless things but always looked great fun. Dresden York looked like some kind of warrior goddess moving with such calm certainty as she sliced her palm over the hot coals.

"Dresden York - she is one of the leader's daughter… they reckon she'll rank top 3 she's been training for this since birth." The closest dauntless born told him and the other transfers as she walked over and fist bumped and hugged her fellow dauntless born initiates. She took her seat and his former faction leader began his stupid speech about your factions been your family now. He wasn't paying attention he was too busy thinking about Dresden York he'd never seen a girl so beautiful before. He was a trouble maker in Erudite the day to day routine had bored him so he'd taken to corrupting as many of the girls around his age as he could, fucking them. The thrill of been caught was all the enjoyment he'd gotten from it rarely had he been physically attracted to the girls he'd fucked. But there was something about her, he wanted her because he liked the way she looked, the way she'd carried herself.

There were twenty-six dauntless recruits in total ten of them were transfers the rest where dauntless born five from Candour four from Erudite and the Stiff three of them where girls one from Erudite mush to his distain one he used to fuck. He really hoped she didn't expect anything from them as they took off out hall. Running through the Chicago streets following the Dauntless offered a freedom he'd craved as a child, clambering up the tracks he finally felt at home with no one screaming at him to get down, calm down and continue with his studies.

She was just ahead of him as the came to bridge she didn't hesitate like the transfers she just started the climb something she'd been used to since birth. He climbed the same support as she did climbing on to the platform beside her he was rewarded with a huge smile from her. "Nice work Erudite I see you'll fit in quickly." She smiled at him starting to jog backwards before turning to run along the tracks as the train came.

Dresden York was truly Dauntless that was the decision he came to twenty minutes after her met her as she stood on the lip above at least a thirty-foot drop and just fell backwards waving sarcastically at her fellow initiates as she fell. Moments later he heard a cheer from bellow, "First Jumper DRESDEN!"

The trucks were slowing and Dres knew that meant they were arriving at Erudite she was slumped on the floor of one of the trucks with the other Divergents. She was though thankful Cade wasn't amongst them. It had often been something she wondered if her been divergent meant her brother was also but apparently no. He was still in Amity living his life there he must really have belonged there because no one chose amity without either wanting to hide or because they really belonged there.

The bright white light reflecting from the modern rebuilt Erudite compound hurt her eyes as the doors to the back of the truck where swung open and Max stood there. Two other Dauntless she didn't recognise began pulling them from the truck as the first in Dresden was the last out. Instantly pushed to her knees in front of Jeanine Matthews. God she hated this woman more than anyone else in the world.

"Six… and who is this? Dresden Coulter" Jeanine was crouched in front of her now it was a funny position to the see the woman in her dress not designed for it nor her impractical heels helping her keep her balance. "I went to your funeral." She stated looked straight at Dresden who just kept staring blankly at her. "Clearly running didn't help."

"She was caught fleeing with the other Divergents and the Prior boy." Eric stated as he stepped from the shadow of the truck.

"Giving up your safety for your friends how Abnegation of you. Tell me just between us what where the real results of your aptitude test."

"Inconclusive."

"Oh come on did you test high for two, three, four, all of the factions please I am curious."

"And curious you will have to stay."

"Not for long… I liked you Dresden. I was sad when I received news of your death, I thought you were a great match for Eric. I am just sorry I was wrong. Take them to the cells."

A/N so a bit shorter than normal but Dres is now in the hands of her crazy mother in law. I wanna say thanks for the love people are showing this story and also ask if anyone would be willing to help me out and be a proof reader because re reading these chapters makes me cringe at the typos

love

Emmy


	6. Chapter 5

_"Today you are going to start fighting against the Dauntless born! First fight… Coulter, York!" Jake shouted clapping his hands together and Eric stepped up onto the mats watching as Dresden did the same. "Body parts only I am looking at you York." Dres just smirked before pulling a blade from her hair letting it tumble down around her shoulders throwing Jake the blade before she cleverly tied it back up into a tight bun. Eric had been hoping she'd leave it down at least in a ponytail it would give something for him to hold._

 _They both took up their stances and waited until Jake shouted fight. Dres wasted no time diving for him her hand flashing in his face startling him into a clumsy block which was when she got her fist into his stomach. She had to go for the soft tissue areas to inflict pain. She was so light and tiny even throwing all her weight behind a punch she'd never inflict a great deal of damage. Her advantage was in her speed and endurance she could only maybe get a few hits on him but they'd be carefully calculated positioned with high accuracy and she'd use her speed to keep avoiding his attacks and she would last longer than him. He had to be smart about this fight his size wasn't going to help him now not against Dres. If anything it was a hindrance to him now made him look clumsy compared to her refined subtle movements._

 _He needed to wait force her into an attack, an attack of his choice that he could catch her in and take her down to the mats grappling on the floor that's where he could take her. Her next attack came swiftly but this time he was ready feigning another clumsy block to her initial punch he was able to catch her as she again went low this time for his legs. Slamming her down into the mats first._

 _Dres was better at grappling than he thought whilst he had the upper hand due to his size and weight her flexibility allowed her to escape him in ways he thought not possible. Until she was free from him forward rolling into a standing position on the other side of the mat. She'd escaped his attack this time but it wasn't a mistake he'd be making again._

 _Vaguely in the back ground he could hear their fellow initiates cheering them on he could say who they were cheering for it was all just a distant murmur to him as he side stepped to evade another attack from Dres this time though she was ready for his instant counter attack. They both ended up on the mat his face smashed between her thighs his body pressed over hers pinning her arms above her shoulder. He knew he was stretching her quads he could see she was in pain on her face as he pushed more into her chest._

 _Still though Dres didn't concede instead she used his own weight pressing forward against him using his weight to aid her momentum rolling them over releasing her thighs as she did she might have had the upper hand for a second but she was smaller than him and made the mistake of staying on the mats. It didn't take much for him to roll them over this time he pressed his chest and hips into hers pinning her arms with one hand above her head he used his whole body to cover hers. She could still kick her legs around she tried planting them on the floor and buck him off but that did nothing he was an immovable object._

 _"5-4…" Eric could hear Jake start the countdown to him winning as he smirked down at Dres who was still squirming underneath him. Whilst he was smirking he was acutely aware of the issue this squirming was starting to cause. Watching Dres fight had always turned him on, seeing how well she took care of herself but there was something about fighting her himself that took it to a new level. And now this sweet torture her rubbing her body against his and he dominated her so completely god he wanted to rip her leggings off and fuck her on the mats hard not caring who was watching._

Climbing out of the shower Eric just threw a clean set of his uniform on knowing full well he wouldn't be getting any sleep not tonight. Instead he filled his travel mug with coffee and headed down to the control room. The Erudite control room was clinical flat screens on a white wall watching everything, so that element was no different to Dauntless but at least in dauntless they'd had soft leather chairs here they were a hard natural wood that forced you to sit up straight with correct posture. No one could ever dose off to sleep in one of those seats.

"The things taken from the Divergent are over there!" It was an Erudite guard on duty when he walked in made things easier less questions. His marriage wasn't so well known here as it was in Dauntless, those who hadn't known about his marriage found out when she had died. Max had announced it at the celebration of her life after she'd died.

Walking over Eric had a quick look through the box of things he wasn't really sure why. They'd taken jewellery from the Divergents anything sharp, it was all in one box but everything taken from the Amity divergents was pretty much the same making it easy to spot the things they'd taken from Dresden. That and other than a necklace he guess might have been hers due to the fact it was made of steel she hadn't gained any new possessions.

Pulling out the necklace he looked at the circular charm on the end with a K stamped into it. The K made no sense to him, there wasn't anyone with a name beginning with a K in either of their families. Plenty of H's though he noted bitterly think his father Henry, her brother Haleston and her mother Hanna. So why would she wear the letter K especially on a necklace ever since one of their fellow initiates had used it against her in a fight, momentarily choking her, she'd stopped wearing them. Jealousy a felling he used to be all too familiar with especially when around Dresden crept back in as he wondered if she was this for a new man in her life.

Dropping the necklace to the table he picked up the dagger he'd given Dres for her twenty first birthday he knew from his history lessons in Erudite a person's 21st birthday used to mean a great deal. He'd had ancient ruins' carved into blade just like the ones Dres had tattooed on her body the ruins' for strength protection and love the matched against the three inked within her left forearm.

Placing the dagger down Eric couldn't quite believe what he was seeing in the bottom left corner of the box was a ring. One he hadn't seen in a year, but he'd once worn with pride. His wedding ring was in the box. This ring had gone missing from his apartment at Dauntless shortly after Dres had 'died'. He'd taken it off unable to deal with the reminder on his hand that his wife was gone catching his attention every time he needed to use his hand. He'd left it on the book shelf in front of her favourite book and then one day it was suddenly gone.

Looking up at the monitor he saw Dres sat on the bed in her cell one knee bent the other straight her head tilted back and eyes closed but he could tell she wasn't asleep. Her chest movements weren't sallow enough for her to be asleep. As the Erudite wasn't looking Eric hit the record button off to stop the footage from recording. The Erudite on duty would only be able to see her talking to the door, if she responded to him, not who she was talking to. It was one of the first oversights he'd seen in the Erudite security system. For all they were smart they were also naive security camera's only faced into the cells. Anyone could come and talk to them only appearing on a camera briefly as they walked down the hall to enter the cells. They said it was because no one visiting couldn't be trusted, they were wrong.

Eric stood on the other side of her cell door hold his wedding ring he held it up to show her he had it, "This went missing from my apartment a week after you…" He stood completely still for a moment holding the ring up as Dres climbed off the bed and walked towards the glass door standing right in front of him. She gave a small laugh as she looked at the ring in his hand.

"I wanted my ring back, I never wanted to take it off. I hadn't thought you'd be so attached to it; you were never sentimental about objects you said it was illogical. It took me weeks to convince you even wear a ring you saw it as a needless status symbol. Four tried to get mine back for me but you wearing it around your neck ruined that plan. You'd taken your ring off though so Four stole it from your apartment whilst you were working and sent it to me." As she spoke Eric began spinning the ring in circles around his fingers, he was listening but he couldn't look at her so he kept his attention focused on the band in his hands. The black rhodium band was simple enough and once he'd even worn it with pride because it tied her to him. Now though it felt like a symbol of just how deep betrayal ran.

"So Four always knew where you were?" Four had stolen the ring for her so he'd been right in his assumption Four had always known she wasn't dead. It explained why he never seemed deeply bothered by her death he just wasn't that great of an actor. He tried but something about the way he'd grieved had always struck Eric as odd. Now he understood Four had never been grieving because he had never lost her.

"Yes… he sent me to his mother and the factionless made sure I had a place there." The factionless well that explained her new look and clothing a combination of the factions' colours worn in a very Dauntless way. She stood in front of him now in dauntless pants and boots with a long sleeve thermal top that though the colour of amity was tight and practical very Dauntless the jacket though. Her jacket though looked more like a relic of a time long past a military jacket from before the war patterned to blend into the surroundings.

"You could tell Four but not me -not your husband, not the man you swore never to lie to, never to hide from." He was bitter and it was showing he knew it. But he'd be damned if he cared. It seemed Four really did get everything he wanted the number 1 rank, his wife. The thing that made it worse was Four didn't even want them, he didn't care about ranking first because he didn't want to be a leader. He never wanted Dresden not like he did. Four saw her as a sister, he wasn't in love with her and yet still he managed to take her from him.

"You wouldn't have understood Eric… I never told Four what I was he worked it out himself and then he protected me taught me how to get through the fear simulations without been noticed. My times were too fast Eric people were starting to notice. I pushed doubt away then but I slipped up during a patrol in the city I was out of character and to many people saw it… to many Erudite saw it. They started asking questions and I had to make a decision. I would never ask you to choose Eric…"

"So you chose for me?" He scoffed lifting the ring right in front of her his face twisting to a cruel sneer, "You chose wrong." Eric dropped the ring to the floor and turned away from the cell leaving it there on the floor basically at her feet.

Fuck if felt like he'd just dropped his heart not the fucking ring, he hadn't even known if it still fucking worked. If there was still any emotion left inside of him turned out the world wasn't done with hurt yet. He might not be able to feel joy and happiness but he could still hurt.

 _"We don't need rings." Eric argued as he walked around the apartment tidying up the mess she had just made stripping her clothes to the floor as she walked from the door to the bed before falling face first on it. Then proceeding to ask him if he'd though anymore about what kind of wedding ring he wanted._

 _"They are tradition Eric please." Putting her pouty face as he liked to call it on as he sat down on her side of the bed running his fingers over her aching calf muscles. She'd been in the training room all morning with the transfers in an attempt to improve their pitiful fitness and endurance levels she'd had them out on the obstacle course. Once they initiates had finished she'd stayed behind and ran it herself twice before doing her usual leg day work out with Lauren it had been a bad idea. As if Eric sensed it he just started to massage her legs out pulling her feet into his lap and starting there._

 _"My parents don't wear rings." His argument was simple but one that Dresden had a very easy argument against._

 _"Eric your parents don't even particularly like each other, the married and had you because they saw it as logical. We are nothing like them." Dres told him giving up on the wonderful massage Eric was giving her feet and climbing on to his lap in just her tank bra and panties placing her forearms on his shoulders and looking into his eyes, "Which is why we should have wedding rings."_

 _"I don't see why they a needless status symbol. Why do we have to parade our love around on our fingers our relationship is just that ours why does anyone else need to know? And say I buy you a ring are you ever going to wear it or is it going to end up in that jewellery box of yours filled with items you begged me to buy you and never wear."_

 _"That's not true I wear them to important occasions."_

 _"Baby we live in Dauntless not Erudite or Candor or hell even Amity important occasion happen twice a year the obligator leaders diner…"_

 _"That one's your fault you wanted to be a leader." Dres was quick to point out knowing Eric hated the leaders diner even more now his mother had been appointed the Erudite leader._

 _"And the New Years Party… other than that we don't have special occasions in the dauntless."_

 _"I would wear it."_

 _"You say that every time…"_

 _"And every time you cave in so why are you still putting up so much of a fight?"_

 _Eric just looked at her his steely eyes staring straight into hers and Dresden let out a small smirk after weeks of arguing the point she knew she'd just won. It was inevitable really but nice to finally secure a victory for herself. Besides it wasn't like he'd asked her to marry him in true Eric style he just climbed into bed three weeks ago and told them they were getting married in on July 18th. Just like that no discussion. When she'd tried to argue the point he'd stated they'd been together two year lived together two years so really all the marriage was a document that ensured if one of them died the other would get everything nothing else would change._

Falling against the wall next to the doorway Dres slide down until she was sat on the floor inches away from the ring Eric had just dropped on the floor. Tears ran down her face as looked at the ring and listened to Eric's footsteps fade away into the distance. With every step she could hear she could hear his words 'you chose wrong'. Sniffling and forcefully wiping the tears from her eyes she forced her gaze from the ring.

Dres had known from the second she'd heard Eric's screams as he tried to follow her into the burning building she'd made a mistake. He was ready to die for her then. Subconsciously she reached behind her left shoulder and ran her fingers over the scared tissue. She'd tried to turn around run back through the building make it out and back to Eric before the building blew up. She hadn't made it instead she'd ended up with third degree burns on the upper left side of her body barely managing to make it to factionless and Evelyn Johnson-Eaton before she'd passed out from the pain.

It had been too late once the building exploded with her supposedly inside and no way of surviving there was no way back. Instead she had to live with the sound of Eric's screams, the fact he'd killed someone in his desperate struggle to get to her. Curling on to her side Dres began the mental list of all the reasons she had to doubt Eric replaying the one memory she always attempted to justify her decisions with… it never worked.

 _"Where the hell are you?" Dres spoke out loud as she looked around Eric's office. He'd been due home hours ago and when he hadn't arrived she'd walked up to his office checking the gym on the way. He was missing from both his usual spots; it was unlikely he would have gone out either in or out of Dauntless without telling her. So she headed up to the one other place she could think he might be._

 _There was a basement bellow The Pit it was filled with factionless and the occasional faction member that broke faction laws. He was the leader in charge of the cells and that sometimes meant he had to go down there. Getting down there could only be done through a coded door in Eric's office. Thankfully Eric had never been good at hiding the pin code when he'd had to go down there and she'd been in the office. Which meant she knew the code was her birthday._

 _Heading down the stairs the closer to the bottom she got the clearer Eric's threatening voice got clearer as did the sound of punches. Getting to the bottom flight Dres couldn't believe what she was seeing Eric was beating the shit out a defenceless initiate. One of the Dauntless born that had been exceeding on the simulations._

 _"Are there any others like you?" Eric was asking between punches and when it became obvious he wasn't going to get any answers out of the initiate. He just lifted his gun and shot him._

 _Dresden hadn't meant to scream; it wasn't like she'd never seen someone been shot before hell she'd shot factionless executed them. But Lyon wasn't factionless he was Dauntless and he was just a kid one her best friend was currently training. He was just starting to find his place in the world and Eric, her husband, had just murdered him in cold blood. Her scream though had alerted Eric to the fact he wasn't alone down there. His eyes instantly found Dresden's who just turn and bolted up the stairs._

 _"DRESDEN!" She heard him shout but kept running seconds before she heard his heavy footfalls on the stairs bellow. She was faster though and managed to stay ahead of him until she burst into their apartment deadlocking the door behind her._

 _"OPEN THE DOOR!" His angry shout came as his body slammed into the door sending her jolting forward off the door she'd been leant on to stand facing the door in the middle of the room. "I SWEAR TO FUCKING GOD IF YOU DON'T OPEN THIS FUCKING DOOR I WILL BREAK IT DOWN!" He screamed but Dresden didn't open the door she was only grateful they lived far enough away people wouldn't be able to hear them._

 _"WHY SO YOU CAN KILL ME TOO?!" She shouted back, as she backed into the bookshelf opposite the door pulling her knife from her boot._

 _"OPEN THE DOOR!" This time though she didn't need to move as Eric's body came barrelling through the door. "You don't understand what you just saw." He stated pointing his finger at her walking straight for._

 _Dresden didn't hesitate just threw her knife at him watching it bury itself in his thigh muscle. The blade too short to do any serious damage but enough to bring him to his knees snarling. "You killed an innocent initiate!" She cried, "Murdered him." She headed into the kitchen pulling another knife from the chopping block._

 _"He wasn't innocent!" Eric hissed forcing himself up to his feet surging forward snatching the knife out of her hand throwing it across the room reaching for the block sending that across the room before she could grab another knife._

 _"He was an initiate what could he have possibly done?"_

 _"He was a Divergent!" Eric shouted at her and Dresden coiled away from him. All the fight in her was gone she wondered how she hadn't seen it before his sim times screamed Divergent. She hadn't noticed she hadn't been able to warn him, help him and now he was dead. "They threaten our society; Dresden you have to see that. They don't conform and can't be controlled they have to be eliminated."_

A/N So a lot of flashbacks get a bit more of a feel for Dresden and Eric's past together. And she had his wedding ring and why do you think she has a K necklace? Derbygirl maybe if you PM your email address I can send you the chapters?


	7. Chapter 6

Eric was tired. Within forty-eight hours of capturing the Divergents in Amity, Jeanine had ordered him to plan an attack on Candor. Attacking Candor would be much more challenging than attacking Amity since, along with Candor's own security, they were currently housing the Dauntless that hadn't followed him and Max to Erudite. He told himself these were the reasons he was spending so much time in the security room poring over the citywide feeds, but really his attention was always partially on the camera looking at the prison cells. Jeanine had killed four of the Divergents they'd bought in for testing already and she had the fifth currently hooked into the sim. Subject six was Dresden.

He tried to tell himself he wasn't sleeping because of all the work he had to do planning the attack. That was a lie. The truth was, every time he closed his eyes he could picture her as one of the bodies being rolled to the incinerator after she died failing to open the box. He told himself she deserved to die, but he just couldn't make himself believe it.

Shaking his head, he got up from his desk and headed down to the canteen in search of some coffee or an energy drink. He used to love Erudite energy drinks when he lived here, it was one of the few things he missed. His route took him past the cells and when he saw Max walking towards him he slowed.

"Guess she'll finally die for real this time. Subject six has been called up for testing." Max smirked as he walked past him and headed into the cells. Erudite had cleverly put the cells in the middle of the building making it impossible to escape undetected. Besides, it was only too easy to get lost in the maze of the building's corridors.

Max had been overseeing the testing with Jeanine while he'd been making plans for the raid on Candor. He'd only been in there once when Jeanine had summoned him for an update. She'd casually spoken to him as the Divergent had screamed and thrashed around in the box. She'd been watching the simulation on a screen, watching the Divergent fight for his life when he clearly didn't have a clue what to do with the blade in his hand. Jeanine questioned Eric about everything, how his leg was healing, if he'd co-ordinated with the head of Erudite security about the invasion, had he spoken to the tech department about the pins they'd be shooting in to everyone, and on and on. As she'd quizzed him, the Divergent had died and Jeanine had just nodded to Max who ordered the body disposed of and the next test subject brought in.

Eric felt his already painfully heavy heart drop as the reality of Max's statement hit him. Jeanine had killed another Divergent, subject five had failed and now she was ready for subject six – Dresden Coulter. She'd hurt him, betrayed him, and yet the thought of her being killed trying to open that fucking box shredded him.

Fuck! He still loved her despite everything. He knew in that moment as Max spoke, he still loved her. It wasn't voluntary, it wasn't something he could change it was part of him. He would always be in love with the warrior goddess that had taken that first leap from the ledge and straight into his heart.

Eric stood frozen as the guards escorted Dresden from the cells. She wasn't even fighting them as she walked handcuffed with her face stoic and head held high. Her test results might say Divergent, but in that moment she screamed Dauntless. Eric knew she wasn't stupid. He knew she understood she was likely walking to her death, but she did it with dignity. Dying wasn't one of her fears though, he'd seen them when he'd watched her final test during initiation.

 _Dresden sat on the other side of the room with her friend Lauren, another Dauntless born initiate, they seemed pretty inseparable. Every night at the Pit they would arrive together and leave together. Some of the guys wondered if they were in a relationship and during some pretty drunken nights they had occasionally gotten a little handsy with each other. But Eric knew better, because only he knew where Dresden was when she wasn't with Lauren in the Pit. She was kissing him in dark corners all over Dauntless._

 _Today was their final fear test and they were all being held in the waiting area as they waited to be called in one at a time from lowest to highest ranked. The screen in the waiting room showed the fear landscapes of the initiate undergoing testing and one guy, Luke, has already failed._

 _Eric just sat in there waiting until Zeke was called, leaving only he, Dresden and Four left. They were all really close in the rankings and barely a few points separated them. The quickest to get through the test would no doubt take the top spot. And Eric really, really wanted it. He needed to be number one to prove he wasn't worthless, useless, a waste of space._

 _"_ _You look nervous." He remarked looking at Dresden who just flipped him off as she leaned back against the wall huffing out a breath. Currently ranked third, Dresden would be next to face the simulation. He'd wondered what her fears were and had even asked her a couple of times but she'd never told him. Usually she'd just shut him up by kissing him._

 _"_ _York, Dresden!" Ty York stood in the doorway holding his hand out for his daughter. He was the Dauntless leader administering the tests. It wasn't like he could cheat and help his daughter with the serum pre-measured and people viewing the injection from all angles. Turning his attention to the screen for the first time, Eric sat forward in his seat. Finally he'd get his answer about what Dresden York was really afraid of._

 _She was falling from a great height but she couldn't see the bottom or top of the building. Panic threatened to take over, free falling to her certain death, but Dres knew she could find a way out of this she just needed to think. The grappling gun… she had a grappling gun in her hands and firing at the building she kept hold as she ran out of rope and swung towards the building. Bracing herself, she smashed through the window and rolled on to the floor of the room. Looking around Dresden recognised she was in Dauntless._

 _Eric was standing at the other side of the room, "Eric what are you doing here?" She asked running up to him, but he just looked at her like she was nothing more than an inconvenience. "Eric?" She asked reaching up to turn his face to look at her. But he just brushed her off._

 _"_ _What don't you get about leave me the hell alone York. You're pathetic! Nothing more than a bit of fun during initiation. I can't believe you thought this was something." He laughed shaking his head, "You were nothing more than a piece of ass for me to take my frustrations out on."_

 _"_ _Fuck you Coulter… I don't need you, I've never needed you." Dresden hissed in his face slapping him for good measure before turning and leaving him in the room. She headed through the halls to her room._

 _The halls though they didn't end, she kept making different turns but always ended up in the same place. She was trapped, lost in a maze of endless corridors that all looked the same. What was that thing her father had once taught her… keep your right hand on the wall and walk counter-clockwise to find your way out of a maze? Marking the wall would also help and she'd be able to tell if she'd been the same way before._

 _Crouching down Dres picked up one of the rocks and scratched it against the wall. Sure enough it marked the chipping paint. Placing it in her right hand against the wall, she started walking in what she believed was a counter-clockwise direction. She was finally somewhere she recognised, outside her father's office, when she heard a scream from the training room. Dropping the rock Dresden ran._

 _Sprinting down the hall and bursting into the training room, Dres looked around to see everyone she loved hung from the rafters with their throats slit and blood draining from them into pools on the floor. "Eric." She whispered walking up to Eric's body which hung beside Lauren and her brother. She dropped her forehead to his nose before placing a kiss on his forehead and turning to walk out of the room. Her fear of losing her loved ones played out in front of her but she couldn't shut down she had a job to do._

 _Finally, she found a group of guards waiting for her in the mess hall with a young boy kneeling on the floor in the center of the room. One of the faceless guards held out a gun for her and Dresden knew she had to kill this innocent. Making the decision, Dresden took the gun and walked forward firing the bullet straight between the boys' eyes flinching as he fell backwards but never looking away._

 _As the screen went blank Eric bowed his head, he'd appeared in her fear landscape twice. The second time he'd felt honoured to know she cared enough about him that he'd been amongst her closest loved ones. But the first one, her fear that he would reject her and push her away, that hurt. He'd never said it but he thought she knew he'd fallen for her. He was in love with her._

 _How it had happened he wasn't sure, it was much quicker than he ever expected. He hadn't ever planned to fall in love, it just wasn't who he was. He'd never seen love, never had a reason to believe in it either. His parents certainly didn't love each other. But he did love Dresden and it warmed him inside every time she walked into a room. The way her smile could make even the shittiest day a bit better. The fact that facing his mother on visiting day hadn't seemed that bad with her at his side._

Clearly they wouldn't be the same fears she would experience if tested today, Eric thought as he watched her turn the corner, leaving him alone in this section of the corridor. She'd left him and considering her fear of rejection from him, he found it ironic that she'd been the one who'd done it. The thing was, it wasn't even one of his fears because he'd never even considered that she could do it. Even after only ten weeks of knowing her he'd been so sure she was the one he hadn't doubted her once.

It had been Dresden's decision to fake her death. To not to trust him. To leave him. Maybe now she deserved to really die.

 _"_ _Four?!" Dres called through the door as she knocked repeatedly. She kept glancing up at the camera nervously, she had maybe another minute before Eric would get to the control room and find her if she stayed out in the open. "Fucking finally." She sighed barging past the still half asleep Four into his room slamming his door shut behind her._

 _"_ _What the hell is wrong with you?"_

 _"_ _Eric just killed that initiate Lyon…."_

 _"_ _Who?!"_

 _"_ _Lyon he was a Dauntless born initiate Lauren was training… he was just a fucking kid."_

 _"_ _Eric and I don't get along, that's no secret, but I still doubt he would just kill an innocent kid."_

 _"_ _Lyon had been doing really well on sims… his times were in the low five minutes. I saw Eric beating the shit out of him before shooting him. I just ran. I couldn't think what to do, Eric followed me he said the kid was Divergent. A danger to our society and had to be killed."_

 _"_ _What did you do?" Four asked a panicked look on his face._

 _"_ _I just ran again… I couldn't think I just needed to get away from him. He's killing Divergents Four."_

 _"_ _We need to get you out of Dauntless!"_

 _"_ _What no?!"_

 _"_ _It's not safe Dresden… if he finds out he will kill you."_

 _"_ _No!" Dresden shouted, "I don't believe that. He loves me."_

 _"_ _He just killed a kid Dresden. A kid! Do you really think he would think twice about killing you? We need to get you out."_

 _"_ _What?!"_

 _"_ _You can't just leave though. Eric would never let you leave, he'd hunt you down…. We need to kill you."_

 _"_ _WHAT?!"_

 _"_ _I don't mean really… I am going to tell you a secret. My mother never died in Abnegation. I thought she did but certain members of Abnegation helped her fake her death and become Factionless to get away from my father. We can do the same for you! Fake your death to get you out of Dauntless. You can go and live with my mother and the Factionless. Eric will think you're dead. You'll be safe."_

 _"_ _I can't just leave him!"_

 _"_ _He is killing Divergents and maybe if you'd married just another mindless Dauntless solider you'd be safe but you married Eric. Dresden, you married Eric. And he is smart and perceptive and now he is hunting down Divergents. He's already taking initiates out and next he'll start working his way back through the records. And what happens when he gets to our initiation? When he sees that until your final test you were finishing your seven fears in under five minutes? What happens when he starts questioning you?"_

 _"_ _He wouldn't kill me, Four. I know he wouldn't kill me."_

 _"_ _Yes he would Dresden… you live in your little bubble where you refuse to see how vicious and cruel he is. You say he loves you but I doubt he has a loving bone in his body!"_

 _"_ _YOU DON'T KNOW HIM!"_

 _"_ _Just because I don't see him with rose tinted glasses doesn't mean I don't know what he's capable of. And I refuse to let him be the death of you. He is a killer Dresden, a cold vicious killer and I will not let you become his next victim."_

 _The reality of Four's words hurt, he was right she only saw the good in him. Saw the man she loved and not his flaws. Dres wasn't naïve she knew that Eric killed, worse she knew he enjoyed it. But that didn't mean he would kill her, she kept trying to tell herself. But he could kill a kid. He didn't know Lyon though. That was what Dres tried to tell herself as she stood looking out of Four's window. Eric hadn't known the kid aside from meeting him with all of the initiates off the train. Eric had probably never even seen him. He would have been just another faceless Divergent to Eric. Easy to kill._

 _If that was the case though why did she feel so uneasy? Why couldn't see believe her own words and thoughts? Why couldn't she believe Eric would never hurt her? Tears pooled in her eyes as she leant forward pushing her head against the cool glass. "I have to go back to him…"_

 _"_ _No Dres that's going to get you killed."_

 _"…_ _and we will need to find a body. Eric will be suspicious if I 'die' and there is no body, he'll start digging. Especially since we've been fighting. If I can convince him I understand, that everything is okay between us, he'll believe I am dead when the time comes. It will hurt him more but he'll never have to kill me himself."_

 _Because that was just it, Dresden wasn't stupid and she knew these orders to hunt for Divergent were coming from Jeanine. From Eric's mother. And Four was right, she hadn't understood, hadn't been careful during the final stage of initiation. Until Amar had taught her, she'd had no idea what she was doing in the sim was wrong. Really she was lucky Amar had caught it before she'd gone in to the final test. But it was still there in the files and Eric would find it. He would be forced to choose between his mother's orders and her._

 _Dresden was under no illusion that Eric loved his mother. He hated Jeanine, she knew that, but even now after being out from under her thumb for years, she still held so much control over him. Jeanine would want her dead and she would expect Eric to do it. That would be a direct order from both a faction leader and his mother to kill his own wife. It would tear him to pieces, but she could save him from that pain by doing this. She could save them both from the pain. She wouldn't live in fear of the man she loved and he would never be asked to kill her._

 _Dying really was the best option for them._

A/N Big thank you to DerbyGirl68 for proof reading this chapter for me :)


	8. Chapter 7

He hadn't planned on following them to the room, yet somehow he'd ended up standing in the shadows. Dres waiting under the equipment that would connect her to the box. Was he there because he hoped to save her or because he wanted to make sure she was really dead this time? Eric couldn't say because he didn't know the answer to the question himself. He was still in love with her, he'd admit that. He probably always would be, but that didn't mean he wanted to save her. She'd hurt him badly, broken their relationship and destroyed the trust between them. He'd never be able to look at her again without feeling that betrayal. So maybe he should just let Jeanine kill her and save himself the pain.

"Dresden, I really hope you survive this… please step up on the circle." Jeanine stated gesturing towards the circle on the floor. Looking up, Dres could see the corresponding circle in the ceiling. "To open the box you need to pass a series of sims, one for each faction. We will start with your former faction Dauntless and then the box will decide where you go next. So far each of the subjects has faced different sims so I can't tell you what to expect."

Dres didn't fight, she just stepped up on to the circle. She could see Eric standing in the back of the room with his arms folded across his chest. Her life really was in his hands now. It would be up to him whether he let Jeanine kill her during this testing. Wires snaked down from the ceiling stabbing into the various muscle groups of her body while sensors tacked themselves to the side of her head. A screen in front of the glass cell lit up so they could watch what happened in the sim.

Letting her muscles relax and her eyes drift closed, Dres opened her eyes to find herself standing in the Pit. She was with her friends and they were drinking and laughing when explosions started to go off around them. Quickly the scenario changed from relaxed time with the friends she desperately missed, to an all-out battle with Dres fighting for her life. She had just finished dispatching one of the faceless attackers when a scream came from above her. Looking up, Dres saw Lauren fighting for her life. Scrambling up some nearby rubble, Dres tried desperately to reach the ledge her best friend was on.

Dres had to move swiftly up the rubble and as she felt the pile starting to crumble beneath her, she leaped for the ledge. She was hanging on to the edge with one hand while she aimed her gun, trying to get a clear shot at Lauren's attacker. She hit her target and as Lauren pulled her up, the Dauntless symbol on the box lit up.

Eric stood silently, his gaze locked on the screen as Dres passed the Dauntless sim with ease. So far that had been the killer for the Divergents they'd found in Amity. Max had told him they were cowards, scared of the weapons that could have saved them. But Dres had lived in Dauntless her whole life and with that sim done maybe she could survive this. Even if she failed, it seemed unlikely any of the other sims would kill her. He continued to watch as Lauren and Dres hugged one another on screen. They were talking and not paying attention to the faceless attacker sneaking up on them. She saw him taking aim at Lauren and with no time to draw her weapon, Dres pushed her to the floor taking the bullet straight to her chest in a perfect kill shot. Giving her life for Lauren's, the Abnegation symbol on the box lit up. Eric panicked as he watched the sim and turned his attention to her vitals.

Dres woke suddenly as the bullet hit her. She was conscious and back in the chamber with all the wires still attached. Eric was screaming at Jeanine when he pulled a gun on her and shot her point blank. Dres gasped in shock. Eric had often complained about how much he hated his mother but he'd never once hinted he wanted to kill her. She was still his mother and even Eric had respected that. Bending down Eric snatched Jeanine's tablet from her dead hands and hit a button making the wires retract as the chamber powered down. As Dres tried to get her bearings, Eric swiftly dealt with the other guard and the three Erudite in the room. He walked over to the door and held his hand out for Dres.

"Why did you do that?" Dres asked as she slipped her hand into Eric's and he started leading the way out of Erudite. Glad that his childhood roaming the corridors and his time working here meant he knew all the routes to avoid security. Getting them out of Erudite would not be easy, but with Eric by her side, it was possible.

"I love you." Just like Eric to be blunt and straight to the point and yet so unlike him at the same time. Five years they had been together, married for three of them, but never before had Eric actually said those words out loud. That was the first time Dresden hesitated. The next was as she felt the metal band of his wedding ring biting into her skin.

"Your ring?" Dres stated lifting Eric's hand to see that sure enough it was the ring she'd given him on their wedding day with the rune for infinite carved into the silver band. Dres stopped running completely this time as she pulled him to a stop. She just kept staring at the silver band on his finger.

"What about it?" Eric looked at her like she was asking the most stupid question possible. It was a look she'd seen so many times before. Her Eric, so impatient, always in a rush. He hated being questioned too. Always had to be in control of every situation. Tris had referred to him as an Erudite in Dauntless clothing, maybe she wasn't wrong. He'd always been smart and inquisitive. But she also couldn't see that rash fearless Dauntless in him, the man that let his heart lead instead of logic and wasn't afraid to jump first and ask questions later.

"I'm still in the sim. You didn't save me." Dres collapsed back from him her heart pounding against her chest as she kept looking at the ring on his hand. She wanted to break down and cry, she'd been so hopeful that Eric had saved her. She'd wanted nothing more than for her husband to be her knight in shining armour. The one he'd joked he'd be on their wedding day.

 _"_ _I, Eric James Coulter, do promise to have and hold, to love and to cherish, to be a knight in sadly not shinning but black armour for Dresden Noa York until death do us part." Eric smiled and Dresden couldn't help but laugh at him. This was her Eric. The Eric so few people ever got to know. The man who never missed an opportunity to add a little more sarcasm to the world. Several years ago, she'd been running between buildings and missed her footing and fallen. It had been pure chance Eric had been on the roof at that moment and able to dive forward to catch her arm and pull her up. She'd called him her knight in shining armour and the joke had stuck. The fall wouldn't have killed her, maybe sprained an ankle, but it was pain that Eric had saved her from._

 _God he looked so handsome standing in front of her in his shiny leader's uniform and his new leader tattoos running down his neck. When he'd walked in with them the previous evening, Dresden had had a fit. She'd been furious, hating their positioning, but now seeing how they fitted against his uniform she found them incredibly sexy and couldn't wait to trace them with her tongue. Their boldness fitted him so well, the sharp clean edges mirrored his sculpted features. Eric was never scruffy, they could have been training for hours and she'd be red faced with crazy hair and Eric would look like he'd just stepped fresh out of their apartment in the morning._

 _Everyone had been waiting for her to say her vows. Once again Eric had caused her to get lost in her own head and she'd been oblivious to everything but him. Shaking it off, she recited her vows from memory "I, Dresden Noa York, do promise to be truthful and faithful, loving, and strong to Eric James Coulter until death do us part. I promise to fight both for and alongside him and stand with him against any and all challenges together."_

 _"_ _Then as a Dauntless leader, it gives me great pleasure to announce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride… Max had officiated their ceremony and the few they'd invited had all been on their feet applauding them. At least that's what the pictures had shown, Dresden had been too lost in her first kiss with her husband to notice. "Presenting Mr and Mrs Eric Coulter." Mrs Dresden Coulter had a nice ring to it._

"Dres, I doubt my mother would put me in the sim with you." Eric scoffed, shaking his head as he dismissed her words. But it was too late, the illusion was already pixelating and falling away, leaving them in a white space. Eric didn't seem to notice.

"You're not in the sim with me. You are the sim." Dres whispered running her fingers over his wedding ring again before dropping his hand and turning to walk away.

"What? No, I'm real and I am here with you. I love you." Eric was grabbing at her now forcing her to turn to him as he reached for her face. How perfect a representation of her husband her mind had dreamt up Dres thought with a bitter laugh. He looked so real and even had his mannerisms. No hearts and bows, just blunt words and brute force.

"God, you have no idea how much I want to hear you say that. But your ring Eric… you dropped your ring outside my cell. It was still there when they took me out. I saw you standing in the back of the room and you weren't wearing your ring when they hooked me up to this either." Dresden ran her fingers over Eric's face tracing them across his chapped lips as he too began to pixelate. Breaking up and dissolving into millions of tiny pieces. His ring had been her mind telling her he wasn't real; this wasn't real because she was still trapped in the sim. Her life still in Jeanine's hands.

Watching himself fade into tiny pixels on the screen, Eric saw the Erudite symbol light up on the box. Jeanine smirked, clearly getting more excited about the prospect of Dres actually completing the task. Walking over to check her vitals, Eric saw they were still strong. Good, he thought, she could do this. With Amity and Candor left, he wondered what she would have to do. He doubted either of those sims could kill her but he also doubted she could pass Amity. Dresden wasn't Amity. There wasn't a forgiving bone in her body, and she wasn't really all that kind either. Or Candor for that matter, hell she'd told the biggest lie of them all when she'd faked her own death.

Dresden was back in Dauntless when she opened her eyes now, standing in the training room. Eric was there too standing in front of a child with a gun pointed at the small girls' head. "Eric?!" Dres asked trying to understand what was going on here, but neither Eric nor the child acknowledged her as they stood in a trance like state. Eric stared at the child and pointed his gun at her while the child stared at Dres, letting out tiny whimpers as tears ran down her face and she hugged a blanket. The blanket was familiar to Dres, "Where did you get that blanket?" She demanded of the child, but still the only sounds were the little girls' soft whimpers.

"I guess I should be thanking you or maybe congratulating you." The voice came from behind her. Turning her head to look over her shoulder, Dresden could see Jeanine walking towards them her heels clicking on the concrete floors.

Looking back towards Eric and the little girl Dresden saw that still neither of them reacted. Eric just stayed silent, motionless, holding the gun in the face of the whimpering little girl.

"You broke him in way I never managed. Gave me the perfect solider, broken for me to rebuild as I saw fit… but you made him really, you made him a killer. He killed his first innocent for you." Jeanine was standing right next to her now, a screen behind Eric showing the moment he had snapped the neck of the Dauntless guard that had tried to stop him from following her into the burning building. She could see from the way he'd done it that it had been an accident. All he'd meant to do was push him off but the Dauntless solider had fallen hard and awkwardly, his neck snapping on impact.

"Do you even remember Cal?" Jeanine pressed as the screen filled with just Calvin's face, his expressionless dead eyes. "You should. You grew up with him, went through initiation with him. He was just trying to protect Eric. But you'd made him so desperate, so dependent on you, that Eric killed him. Sure he didn't mean to, he just wanted to get to you but he broke Cal's neck. For you. That's how perfect you made him. A heartless, ruthless, solider ready to follow orders" Jeanine was laughing as she spoke circling in front of her and blocking the view of the screen and Eric and the girl.

Jeanine looked her straight in the eyes as she spoke clearly and coldly "This, it's your fault Dresden… Eric's been a ruthless, vicious, killing machine…everyone he's killed on my orders… it is your fault." Dres wanted to reach out and strangle her. To scream that it wasn't her fault. It was Jeanine's fault and she would never forgive her for it. For what she had done to Eric, for putting her in such a desperate situation. But she couldn't because Dresden knew that on some level Jeanine was right. It was her fault. She'd left Eric. She hadn't believed in him and it was what had pushed him over the edge.

Jeanine stepped aside to once again reveal Eric and the little girl still standing as they had been. But this time the girl moved, hugging the blanket closer as she looked up at her. "Mommy." The little girl whispered and Dresden fell to her knees. For the first time she was really looking at the little girl with blue eyes and long brown hair, she looked so much like Eric.

"Kadence." Dres whispered tears running down her face. It was her baby girl, her beautiful baby girl. Alive in front of her. Reaching for her Dres hesitated, terrified if she touched her she would pixelate as Eric had done before. So she let her hands drop to her lap and settled for just looking at her. Kadence had only been a baby when she'd died but Dresden had spent countless hours dreaming of what she might have looked like had she grown-up.

"Why didn't you save me mommy? Why didn't you protect me?" The little girl asked, innocent tears welling in her eyes that looked too big for her head.

"I tried to baby girl! I wanted to protect you, to make you safe. I wanted it more than my next breath." She started to move towards the little girl wanting to feel her in her arms and comfort her daughter, when the harsh sound of a gunshot rang out. Dres screamed as their daughters' body crumpled to the floor in a pool of blood. Eric stood above her with the gun he had used to shoot their daughter.

"It's your fault Dresden… you killed her… you broke me… everyone I've killed is on you. It's your fault. I needed you and you left. You left me, let me believe you were dead. You made me a killer." He didn't even look at her as he spoke he just stood above their daughter's body with no reaction, no emotion. The daughter he had just so heartlessly put a bullet in without even flinching.

"Eric… I was trying to protect you."

"LIAR! You were a coward … look at what your weakness has caused." The room was filling with blood now, "It's all on you Dresden, the blood I've split…" She looked down at the rising blood and then up to find she was trapped in a glass container with Eric, Jeanine and Kadence standing on the other side watching. Kadence, pale and ghostly, was obviously dead as the blood still dripped from her bullet wound.

The blood was warm and thick and she couldn't keep her head above it. She was drowning in the blood of Eric's victims. Sinking down she could feel herself starting to drift off. They said drowning was like falling asleep and as she sank, unable to keep struggling, she began to understand what they meant.

"PULL HER OUT!" Eric screamed at Jeanine who was looking not at the simulation but at Dresden whose body had gone limp with blood leaking from her mouth.

Eric was frantically looking between Dresden and her vital signs which were starting to shut down. Her heartrate was slowing dramatically and she'd stopped breathing. In moments she was going to flat line, she'd be dead for real. Earlier he'd thought to let her die but as the reality was there in front of him he couldn't let it happen. He needed her to live. "She is going to die… she is no use to you dead! PULL HER OUT!" He shouted when Jeanine didn't move, remaining standing there staring at Dresden in some kind of trance as though she still believed it was possible for her to come back from this. Eric walked over to the control panel himself and hit the abort button. Everything powering down finally caught Jeanine's attention and she turned to look at him.

"She has done the best out of any of the subjects. Killing her at this stage makes no sense. Let her rest and heal then pick up when she can stand again." His argument was logical, based on fact so surely she couldn't argue with it. Despite the fact that logically it made sense, logic had played no part in his decision, only his heart.

"Take her back to her cell, give her any medical treatment she needs and clean her up. We'll pick this up tomorrow." Jeanine nodded and three guards went in to detach her from the box before carrying her out. "You never told me she was pregnant." Jeanine stated as she turned to him once everyone else was out of the room. He knew right now the woman in front of him wasn't the Erudite leader but his mother who, despite her neglectful parenting, still seemed to be under the illusion he should tell her everything.

"It slipped my mind." He was telling the truth. Until the little girl had called Dresden mommy, he hadn't thought about the baby since he'd found Dresden. Truth was it had been enough of a shock seeing his wife return from the dead.

"So you knew there was a baby?" Jeanine asked as if it was only now she was realizing just how little he told her about his life in Dauntless. She hadn't even been invited to his wedding, only finding out when he'd had to attend an all-faction leadership dinner. He'd been required to bring a date so of course he brought his new wife. Ty had been only too happy to introduce the room to Dauntless' newest leader, his son in law, and his daughter. He'd never lied to his mother; he'd never lied to anyone he just never went out of his way to share. His mother hadn't ever asked if they were going to have a baby so why did he have to tell her they were having one had been his thought when they'd found out. Maybe he would've written her an email after the baby had been born if everything had been healthy. But they'd never know because that chance had been taken from him.

"We found out a few days before the fire. Then she was gone and it didn't matter anymore." His reply was short, a sore subject and still not anything he wanted to talk about. "I am going to ensure everything is ready for tonight's raid." He stated, briskly exiting the room, not wanting more comments or to have Jeanine attempting any other motherly guilt trips.

Entering his room he let the door close before he fell back against it and slid down to the floor. Everything hurt. Watching himself shoot his little girl was hard. But what was harder was understanding what the sim was showing. They'd had a little girl. At some point in the past year, Dresden had given birth to their daughter. She'd called her Kadence. He liked the name. It was strong and suitable for a Dauntless. He had to take a minute to remind himself it didn't matter what she was called, Kadence was dead. Sometime during or after her birth, something had happened and Kadence had died. His daughter was dead.

What hurt the most was not knowing. Was she is pain when she died? Scared? Or was it peaceful, did she just slip away in the night? Fuck, had she even been born alive or was she stillborn? The possibilities were endless but it did explain the K necklace they'd found on Dresden. K for Kadence. He hadn't even realised he was crying until he was rubbing the wetness from his eyes and wiping the tears from his face.


	9. Chapter 8

_Four followed Dresden back to the apartment she shared with Eric. He was primarily concerned Eric would figure out why Dresden had left and kill her as soon as she walked through the door. Coming up to their apartment, Four saw the door hanging off the hinges at a weird angle. That wasn't that unusual though._

 _Following Dresden inside, he looked around at the damage. All things considered, the destruction was pretty tame. A few knives on the floor showed signs of a struggle but all the furniture was in one piece and there weren't any new bullet holes in the walls. It wasn't unusual for Dauntless members to fight, it was just who they were. Always reckless and looking for a thrill. They lived on the edge, threw themselves into everything fully, and felt intensely. That being said, Eric and Dresden took it to a whole new level._

 _Looking around it was obvious Eric wasn't in the apartment, and Dresden was already cleaning up. As she picked up the knives from the floor she spoke, "He isn't here so you might as well go. I doubt he'll be back anytime soon. He's either getting drunk or beating the shit out of something in the gym." Dresden sighed as she placed the knife block back on the kitchen counter._

 _"_ _I am not leaving until I know he isn't just going to kill you."_

 _"_ _Finding you in our apartment might just push him over the edge… seriously Four, I can handle Eric. He doesn't have a real reason to suspect me yet." Dresden arched her eyebrows, looking at him like he was an idiot. Eric hated him. He hated him for being better at fighting, shooting, and overcoming his fears. But mostly Eric hated Four for how close he was to his wife. He hated the fact that every time they fought Dresden would run to Four. She worked best with Four, she laughed and joked with Four, and hung out with him on her time off. His hatred fed his jealously, and his jealousy fed his rage and always ended in another fight. The rule Eric had set was simple, she could meet Four anywhere else in Dauntless but he wasn't welcome in their apartment, ever._

 _"_ _Alright, I am gonna be in my apartment. He tries anything you run straight there!" His concern and general kindness always warmed Dresden. She was amazed people couldn't tell he was Divergent because he was far too Amity, unlike the cold battle seasoned Dauntless. But then, he could also be a total asshole at times as well, just maybe not as often as Eric._

 _"_ _I promise." Four left and Dresden finished up cleaning the apartment. She couldn't be bothered dealing with the door so she left it bent and hanging off its hinges._

 _A long bath later and Dresden was curled up on the bed with a book in one of Eric's oversized t-shirts waiting for him to come back. It was nearly one in the morning before she heard the sound of his heavy boots on the floor as he stepped around the broken door. Dresden sat up in bed and watched as he walked further into their apartment. His steps were so sure, she instantly knew he hadn't been drinking. Eric wasn't a sloppy drunk really, but he wasn't so great on his feet when he'd been drinking a lot. Which was his usual go to move after they fought. A few drinks did help him loosen up and show a bit more of the fun person she loved though. Tonight, he appeared completely sober._

 _"_ _I thought you'd be asleep by now." Eric stated, taking off his jacket and disarming as he walked into the apartment. Dresden stayed sitting in the middle of their bed clutching the book she'd been reading. She kept her hold tightly around the sharp knife shaped bookmark tucked between the pages. If required, she could use it as a weapon. It wasn't big enough to do serious damage unless she got to his throat or femoral artery, but she'd be able to slow him down and give herself a chance to get away if it came to a fight._

 _"_ _Four and I have late patrol starting tomorrow night. I'm trying to stay up tonight and sleep tomorrow during the day so I won't be tired." She stated simply. Despite the normality of their conversation, the air was thick with tension. As she kept her fingers wrapped around the bookmark, her eyes were trained on Eric as he moved around the apartment. He was currently sitting on the couch pulling off his boots. He might have taken his weapons off, but he hadn't relaxed and Eric didn't need a weapon to kill._

 _"_ _I am going to take a shower." With that he was gone, closing the bathroom door. Dresden collapsed back on the bed, her heart racing as she released her grip on the makeshift knife. "Fuck." She sighed. She'd never been so afraid of Eric before. She needed to sell this better if she didn't want him to become even more suspicious. He was far too clever not to notice her shifty behaviour._

 _Stripping off his pants and shirt, Eric turned the water on, waiting a moment for it to heat up before stepping into the shower. He hadn't been in there long when he felt Dresden press up against his back, her cheek pressed between his shoulder blades as her hands rested on his chest. Neither of them spoke for a moment. His body was still stiff, arms straight by his sides until he finally relaxed and pulled her arms tighter around him. They remained there under the water in a comfortable silence._

 _"_ _I'm sorry." She whispered as though she were scared to speak to loudly and break the spell they'd fallen under._

 _"_ _I didn't want you to see it… but he wasn't an innocent Dresden. He was a threat. One I had to eliminate to keep us safe." Eric knew that one of Dresden's fears was being asked to kill someone she thought was an innocent. When she'd seen him kill the Divergent she hadn't known why he was doing it so she'd just assumed he was killing an innocent. She'd seen a Dauntless born boy who'd hours before been training in Lauren's initiation class. Someone Dresden had probably known for years._

 _"_ _I know… it was just a shock." She said._

 _Eric didn't say anything, he just turned and placed a kiss on top of Dresden's head, "I don't know what I'd do if you ever left."_

 _"_ _I am not going anywhere. I love you." Guilt clawed at Dresden as she spoke. Praying it didn't show on her face, she tried to look up at Eric and convince him she'd never leave him even though she'd spent the evening planning how to get away from him._

 _This time Eric bent his head and claimed her lips. He'd never said it, never told her he loved her, but his actions always filled in the blanks. The way he would kiss her after she'd say I love you was different. Sweeter. Softer. "You wanted to stay awake right?" Eric asked, looking at her with a smirk._

 _Wrapping her hand around his neck, Dresden pulled his lips down to claim them. If she had to leave him then this was the Eric she wanted to fill her memories with. The loving Eric that treated her like the most precious treasure, like she was the center of the universe. The Eric whose love consumed her so much she could scarcely breathe without him. Wrapping her legs around him, Eric lifted her and stepped from the shower. He needed her but not in the shower. He wanted her spread across the bed._

 _After she'd ran out on him, he'd gone straight to the control room to look for her. He'd panicked when he couldn't find her, thinking that this time she'd really done it. This time she'd left him for good. Left Dauntless like she'd threatened to countless times. Now she was back in his arms and a quick fuck in the showers wouldn't cut it. He needed her, needed to take his time and feel her quivering under him. Hear her quiet moans as she begged for him, crying out his name in pleasure. He needed to make her as desperate for him as he always was for her._

 _Dropping her on to the bed, Eric knelt between her legs and looked at her laying there spread across the bed for him. Running his fingers over the delicate flesh of her stomach, his fingers tracing the lines of the faint six-pack that showed. He loved her skin, the rich café au lait colour inherited from her Lebanese and Mexican heritage was so soft and warm. His hands slid further down to her taut muscular thighs. She arched as his fingers trailed over her sensitive skin and moaned as he bent down to place a kiss on the mole at the top of her left thigh. This particular mole with his favorite, close enough to the area he knew she wanted him to be teasing but far enough away he wasn't tempting himself._

 _As his tongue ran over the darkened raised flesh he felt Dresden's fingers running through his hair. Her grip was light so when he sat up her hand dropped to his shoulder before she started tracing the hard planes of his chest and stomach. As she grew closer to his cock, he forgot to breathe until suddenly her teasing hand just dropped away without making contact. He surged forward covering her body with his and claiming her lips._

 _"_ _Fuck." He groaned as he pushed into her heat. Feeling the warmth clamp down around his cock, there was nothing sweeter. He'd been with other girls before Dresden, but sex with them just hadn't compared. He went slow this time. The deeper he pushed the more Dresden's back arched and the louder the soft moans she was letting out grew._

 _Running his fingers over her sternum, Eric stopped when he was full seated in her. He sat back on his knees so he could look down to where they were joined. This was probably his favorite view of her, naked and spread across the bed. Her thighs tangled with his, her wild hair fanning out, the quick rise and fall of her chest, her dilated eyes and swollen lips. His cock being hugged tight by the lips of her pussy as she throbbed around his length. It was an image he had committed to memory for those lonely nights when they ended up on opposite shift patterns. But nothing beat the real thing._

 _Setting a slow pace, Eric fought to keep control as he listened to all the wonderful sounds his wife emitted as she lost herself. Letting her orgasm build, he refused to use anything but his cock knowing a g-spot orgasm was the most intense for her. He had no sense of time as he lost himself in his task, never changing the pace until Dresden exploded around him. Her body tensing around him, she clung to him as her orgasm ripped through her. Forcing his from him with a grunt, he collapsed against her pushing himself deep as he emptied himself inside her._

 _Rolling on to his back in the space beside her, exhausted but sated, Eric turned his head to watch Dresden as she began to recover. The smile she gave him was always reward enough, the way her eyelids drooped and she looked totally at ease. He reached up with his hand to run his fingers over her cheek bone. "I need to shower again." She sighed and Eric smirked. "I don't wanna move." This time she was using her needy voice and Eric knew what she wanted._

 _Rolling off the bed, he walked over to the bathroom and wet a washcloth before heading back and using it to clean Dresden and himself up. Throwing the washcloth into the bathtub he climbed back into bed behind Dresden, this time covering them with the blankets._

 _"_ _We're okay right?" He asked as he held her in his arms, because something still didn't feel right. Despite the amazing sex and the fact that they were wrapped in each other right now, something felt off._

 _"_ _I love you." Dresden rolled over in his arms to face him and look him in the eye as she spoke. Her words made him relax, he could see she meant it. She loved him and that was all that mattered. While she still loved him, he could control her and keep her with him._

 _"_ _Be careful tonight." Eric told her from the bed where he was still comfortably tucked up with his tablet reading over some reports._

 _"_ _Aren't I always?" Dresden smirked at him as she pulled her hair up into a bun and walked back towards him and the bed. Eric loved looking at her in uniform. Her combat boots and pants with her thigh holster holding her knife, another knife would be tucked in her boot, a spare gun strapped to her back and then she'd pick up her main semi-automatic rifle before she left. It was getting cold now so she wore a deep red thermal under her jacket but it was skin tight and there was just something about the way she looked right now that Eric found unbelievably sexy._

 _"_ _No." Eric scoffed knowing the only reason he still had a wife was Four, though it annoyed him endlessly to be in the other man's debt. Dresden was rash and reckless. She didn't care about her own life, not really, she was only too ready to risk her own life to save others. Or in the reckless pursuit of her next adrenaline rush. She lived to be as close to the edge as possible._

 _"_ _I'll see you in the morning." Dresden shook her head as she pulled on her uniform jacket before placing a kiss on his lips, shutting their new apartment door behind her as she walked out._

 _"_ _ERIC!" The pounding on his apartment door and shouting of his name had woken him up. He stumbled to the door, desperate to get rid of Four and get back to sleep. Four. If Four was back, why wasn't his wife in bed with him? Four was patrolling with Dresden, they always did patrol together; they'd left at seven last night. Checking his watch as he opened the door he noted it was 2:00 am, they still had four hours left on their shift._

 _"_ _Why are you back, where is Dresden?" He asked as he opened the door to see his nemesis standing covered in dust with scratch marks on his arms and face. If he was about to tell him something had happened to Dresden, Eric was sure he was going to murder him._

 _"_ _We were up on the roofs to get a good view. Dresden jumped but the ground she landed on wasn't solid, it gave way under her weight and she fell." Eric started to panic. He knew how high some the buildings Dresden would often leap off of were. His only comfort was she was with Four and he hated heights so surely she couldn't have fallen that far. "It wasn't too high, maybe seventeen or eighteen feet but she was unconscious when I got to her. She's in the infirmary."_

 _Eric didn't even care he was shirtless and only in his boxers, he walked straight out of his apartment and down the hall. Four followed him asking if he could maybe put some clothes on before going. But clothes didn't matter, only Dresden mattered right now and she needed him._

 _Running into the infirmary Eric saw her semi-conscious on one of the beds grumbling as the nurse tried to fuss over her. "Please just fuck off." She snapped as the nurse pulled a blanket around her. This made the nurse leave her alone walking off tutting. Eric took that as his cue to go over and sit on the end of her bed where the blanket was now piled. "Forget something, did we?" She snarked, looking over his body. Eric just let out a grateful laugh, knowing she would be fine._

 _"_ _You know they would let you out of this place sooner if you would cooperate." He pointed out. "Come on, you look exhausted and you should get some sleep." Dresden nodded, clearly calmed by the fact he was here now._

 _"_ _I love you." Eric just smiled and returned her sentiment with a kiss, running his hands gently over her hair which was still matted with blood._

 _"_ _Get some sleep." He told her, knowing that this was likely another concussion and sleep was the best thing for her. Reaching down he took her wrist in his hand pressing his fingers to her pulse. Despite the machine reading it for him, he took comfort in feeling the strong beat himself. Many a time he'd done this lying in their own bed beside Dresden, feeling her pulse as she slept off a concussion._

 _Eric wasn't unused to seeing her in an infirmary bed, one of the biggest things in Dauntless was sport. Dauntless was the only faction that had access to the old United Center. Prior to the war, it had been the home of the cities basketball and ice hockey teams. The ice was long gone but the hockey boards still stood and there were still goals so the Dauntless had taken it up. They played as close to the old game as they could. Without ice, they played on wheels instead. Dresden had been playing since she'd been able to walk and she was really good and very violent. She was always ending up in the infirmary with black eyes and concussions._

 _She drifted off to sleep quickly and Eric covered her with the blanket. One of the nurses handed him a t-shirt and sweatpants which he pulled on and resumed his position at the end of her bed waiting for the doctor to arrive._

 _"_ _So what's the diagnosis and recovery time?" Eric asked when the doctor finally arrived some thirty minutes later. The doctors all came from the Erudite hospital. Usually patients were taken straight there but at the time Four hadn't known the extent of Dresden's injuries and Dauntless had nurses on hand trained for emergency medical care until a doctor could arrive._

 _"_ _Fractured skull. We'll keep her tonight but she can go home in the morning. She's off active duty till the fracture is healed and you'll have to keep an eye on her. I guess the main thing is the baby is okay."_

 _"_ _Baby?" Eric asked looking at the doctor standing in front of him in shock and confusion. A baby wasn't part of the plan at least not now, not yet. Dresden was on protection anyway and he knew she took it diligently every morning with breakfast, he watched her take it._

 _"_ _She's nearly ten weeks pregnant, did you not know?"_

 _"_ _No, she never said anything." Eric just looked at Dresden and began to wonder if things weren't as okay as she made them out to be. Had she known and just not told him? He couldn't understand why she wouldn't have told him. Maybe yesterday yes but she was ten weeks pregnant surely she would have told him before then._

 _"_ _Well it could be she didn't know. It's possible she could have still been having her period just with less blood. She has a hard job, especially recently with initiation, so she could have overlooked many symptoms as just stress. I'll leave you two alone."_

"The simulation she failed was Amity. It took a lot of work, but we managed to uncover her original aptitude test results hidden in the data file. Really, it's impossible to completely delete them from the hard drive. She ruled out Amity pretty quick by instantly picking the knife, and she ruled out Candor too. Looking at our other subjects we can see a similar trend. They all had high aptitudes for a few of the factions but failed the sim on the factions they scored lowly on. We've been assuming all Divergents are the same but I don't think they are. The lab has made screening equipment to help you locate the perfect Divergent who scores equally across all factions." Jeanine explained, as she walked around the room she'd set him up in.

It had been his room as a child and she'd never changed anything. His old books were in the bookcase and the models he built for various projects at school were still all there. If anyone ever asked, she would say she hadn't had time since becoming a leader to repurpose her son's room into something else. But really she'd never been able to bring herself to do so. Until he'd become a leader and she'd been able to see him again, this room had been all she had left of Eric.

"Is she going to live?" Eric snapped, not really caring what his mother's wondrous brain had managed to work out. Especially not if it was going to come at the cost of his wife.

"Your father has successfully drained the blood from her lungs but her brain was starved of oxygen for an undetermined amount of time. So despite the fact she is breathing on her own, it is possible she won't wake up or if she does she might have brain damage." Jeanine replied. She didn't want to admit that it hurt her to see how much Eric still cared about Dresden, even after everything his wife had done to him, and yet he was unwilling to forgive his own mother for not always being there for him as a child. She'd hoped he'd understand she was only ever trying to make him the best he could be.

"You did this." His accusation was clear and his stance and facial expression so threatening Jeanine took a step backwards towards the door. In some ways Eric had always scared her, his physical strength alone was intimidating but his intelligence made him even more so. Brawn and brains a lethal combination and something that needed to be controlled before it became too much of a threat.

"In the pursuit of science, she was a Divergent anyway." Jeanine tried to explain.

"What if she is this perfect Divergent you are looking for?"

"She is only 87%, we checked. It isn't good enough, only 100% will open the box. You will take the new testing equipment and find me that perfect Divergent. What you do with the rest of them is up to you."

"If she dies while I am gone, I will kill you. I don't care that you are my mother. She is my wife and if anything happens to her while I'm out running your errands, I will end you."

"I save her now and then what? She's a Divergent, a danger to our society, the council will execute her."

Eric didn't say anything he merely glared at his mother. He didn't look much like her, he'd gotten her eyes but that was it, everything else about him was his father. Not that Dr Henry Coulter had been a better parent than Jeanine. He didn't even know where his father currently was, he'd seen him once since his return to Erudite. In the infirmary for the final check up on his leg, his father had been the one to sign him back to active duty. Power was the only thing either of them cared about. He'd been born out of obligation, not love, and they'd made sure he knew it. He was nothing more than a continuation of the passage of knowledge. The only time Jeanine had shown any interest in his life was when he was excelling at school and winning awards. He'd always been at the top of all his classes. But that hadn't been good enough, she'd only cared when he was the best. Jeanine Matthews only cared about winning.

Walking away was the best way to cement his threat so he made his way to the infirmary. He wanted to see her before he left for Candor in an hour. He needed to verify she was truly alive with his own eyes and prove that his mother hadn't been lying to him.

The many times Eric had visited Dresden in the infirmary at Dauntless couldn't prepare him for the sight of her now. Usually she was awake, swearing profusely as some poor nurse tried to stitch her up. Not lying there motionless looking so pale and tiny surrounded by machines.

"Most of the machines are just to monitor her condition. She's stable. The only thing supporting her is the drip, it's keeping her nutrient level up while she's unconscious." His father's voice shocked him as he spun around to see the elder Coulter leaning against the door frame watching him.

"I wondered about Jeanine's interest in keeping Subject Six alive. At first I thought it was just something to do with her divergence and that damn box, but now you're here so I am starting to think it was more personal." His father had never met Dresden. He wasn't a leader, he was a doctor who seldom left the hospital. He probably even had a bed in his office. He worked at the forefront of medical science and was both a genius and a saver of lives. He was also a shitty dad. Eric had come fairly low on his father's priority list. Proven more so by the fact he didn't even know his own daughter in law was lying in one of his hospital beds.

"Her name is Dresden Coulter, not Subject Six."

"Your wife Dresden Coulter? The one who died in a fire last year?" Henry asked looking for the first time at his daughter in law. Eric was sure he'd probably seen a photograph of her before but he doubted his father had paid attention. There was a picture of her at the memorial beside the urn filled with some other woman's ashes. Then again, Eric couldn't even remember if Henry had bothered to turn up or if there was just an empty seat next to his mother.

"Yes that Dresden Coulter."

"Well she didn't do a good job at staying dead but a fire might explain the burn scaring on her back left shoulder." His father's off handed comment caught Eric's interest. He didn't know what she had done during her time away from Dauntless and he desperately wanted to know what had happened to Kadence.

"What over injuries does she have?"

"Bullet wound in her upper left thigh though it's mainly healed now. She's had a recent fracture to her right radius, it wasn't set properly, and there's a lot of damage to the metacarpals and phalanges in the hands but that is common among the Dauntless due to all the fighting you do. Fracture lines on the cranium healed now…"

"She fractured her skill in a fifteen foot fall just over a year ago."

"There's a large amount of scaring and damage to the reproductive organs. Scarring on the upper thigh and in the fleshy area around the hip bones that could be from self-harm. Patients suffering from serious depression can sometimes feel the need to induce pain as form of control."


	10. Chapter 9

Walking out to the truck, Eric gave one last glance over his shoulder at Erudite. He had a strange sinking feeling deep in the pit of his stomach. He'd spent close to two hours with Dresden before he'd had to get changed into his tactical gear to leave. Nothing in her condition had changed and he'd left her as he'd found her; breathing on her own in stable condition but with no way of knowing when she'd wake up.

Max was waiting for him standing by their truck swinging the keys around, "You're late."

"I was busy." Eric shrugged as he casually strolled up. He was barely two minutes late and he'd told everyone else five minutes early anyway knowing half these brainless drones wouldn't show up on time.

"Yeah watching over the traitorous Divergent bitch… forget her Eric. You need to get your head in the game. Jeanine is already worried about you." Eric scoffed at Max's comment. Jeanine wasn't worried about him, she was worried she would lose her perfect attack dog. She didn't need to worry. He understood he had a job to find the perfect Divergent tonight and it would get done. If this perfect Divergent existed then they had to be hiding in Candor, everywhere else had been checked.

"I am not the one still going on about it. Get in the truck, it's time to move out!" He barked at Max. The plan for the attack on Candor relied on speed, a wave of Dauntless would fire zip lines from the surrounding buildings onto the roof of Candor and then work their way down the building. The unguarded roof was the only flaw in their otherwise tight security system. He's amazed the Dauntless seeking refuge there hadn't pointed out this flaw but he was willing to take full advantage of it. After a few moments, the roof top team would trigger alarms and the security downstairs would be weakened as some went up to see what was happening. That would be when his team would attack the ground floor and start making their way up.

"You sure this plan of yours is going to work?" Max asked as they started the drive towards Candor. Eric had chosen the middle of the night for this attack knowing that most of Candor would be asleep. "They have got all those Dauntless traitors hiding out there."

"Majority of the Dauntless won't be there. They think they've been sneaky when they go over to the Hancock building to spy on Erudite each night. The lights are always on in Erudite so they think they can see in and gather intelligence." If there was one thing Eric was great at it was battle plans. From raids to defensive scouting missions to face to face fights, Eric could use logic and analysis to create plans that nine out of ten times worked flawlessly. He was also far more perceptive and better at reading people than anyone gave him credit for. "They think they are clever. They're not." He smirked looking at the other trucks around him knowing Tori Wu was in one of them. She must think him truly stupid, he'd decided.

"But if they are watching us surly they'll spot us heading to Candor."

"It will take them too long to realize what we're doing and by then we'll already be through with the attack." His attack was perfectly timed so the train was just passing Hancock as they left Erudite. So now even if the Dauntless hanging out there spotted them, they had twenty minutes before the train would pass again and then another five on the train followed by a six minute run from the tracks. That gave them a 31 minute window. Eric wasn't stupid. He knew not every Dauntless that had followed was loyal, take Tori for example, so his soldiers had received their orders fifteen minutes before they needed to leave. From the minute the orders were given they hadn't been alone, so no one had time to send any warning messages. Eric wasn't stupid.

Max pulled them up just around the corner from Candor. The rest of the distance would be travelled on foot and very specifically timed. Climbing down from the truck Eric looked around to see others doing the same and those in the backs filing out before checking his watch. Two minutes.

He looked up towards the roof, even though he wouldn't be able to see his men up there. With silencers on their guns, he wouldn't be able to hear them either. He shouldn't hear a thing until the first wave of Dauntless and Erudite attacked the door in 3… 2… 1…

The silence was blissful but it only lasted a couple of seconds until Eric heard the sound of return fire. People inside were fighting back… it didn't last long. Their force was superior and Candor didn't have a chance as he followed up behind the last of the soldiers.

Max followed him into the building and he glanced around. The ground floor force had taken the lobby and were now standing awaiting his orders to start sweeping up the building as the roofers swept down.

"Not sure why we can't just shoot them all in the head." Eric looked up at the Captain who had dared to speak as the man pushed his boot against the face of one of the Dauntless on the floor, leaving a muddy shoe print, "If there's no enemy army, we win."

"Now, Bob, we can't just kill _everyone_." Eric remarks, "No people left means no one left to create prosperous conditions. Anyway, it's not your job to ask questions!" He was getting side tracked by this idiot and he didn't have time for that. Turning his attention back to the rest of the guard, he used what Dresden referred to as his 'evil leader' voice "Half in the elevators, half in the stairwells, left and right! Go!"

Eric followed the team in the stairs while Max went with the team in the elevator. Neither of them speaking before splitting up, knowing automatically which way to go after working together for so long. Max was older but it was pretty obvious by looking at the pair that Eric was the one with the power.

Wandering the halls of Candor, Eric looked around for hidden Divergents and waited for Four to launch himself out of a room at him. Four was probably the biggest threat in the building. He was likely to encounter him here because the coward was afraid of heights and wouldn't have volunteered to go to the Hancock building to spy.

The second floor starts bringing up results as he hears shouts of Divergents being found. He orders them all to be taken to the elevator bank where they'll be screened with the new scanners and he'll work out who to take and who to kill. Jeanine might not have given the kill order but she wasn't going to be against it. She'd asked him to find the perfect Divergent and bring another high scoring one too. The rest was up to him. He was in rather a rush and killing them would be quicker and more efficient.

The guard has already moved up onto the third floor, but Eric lingered, walking the halls. He had a distinct feeling something wasn't right. Turning a corner, he found what was wrong, Tris Prior. He knew she would be here and there she was standing right in the middle of the floor unarmed, stupid girl. Jeanine wanted her more than anything. She might not be the perfect Divergent but Jeanine hated her and that should be enough to divert her attention from Dresden. And Four was in love with her… it was almost too perfect. Jeanine would leave Dresden alone, the Stiff would likely die, and Four would have his precious feelings hurt. He couldn't help his smirk as the Stiff looked up and caught his eye as he walked towards her.

Like any good Dauntless, the Stiff's first reaction is to attack but Eric's already two steps ahead of her and she barely manages to graze his chin with her elbow as he grabbed her arm and pushed his gun to her forehead, "I don't understand how you could possibly be stupid enough to come up here without a gun." She was no Dresden, Tris was pathetic without a weapon and she'd never mastered the art of using her size to her advantage in a fight. In the same situation, Dresden would never have been more dangerous. Unarmed and cornered made her unpredictable and that was one of the things he loved most about her. Her strength, her fight.

It seemed though as the Stiff thrust her thumb into the partially healed bullet wound in his leg, her parting gift to him, she'd been learning some new tricks. Growling out in pain, Eric reacted instinctively and drove the heel of his gun into Tris' jaw. He hoped, as he regained his composure from the pain still radiating from the wound, that he'd fucking broken it.

He wanted to fucking kill her for that stunt. Shoot her clean through the skull, but a dead Divergent wasn't going to get him Dresden back. A dead Tris dead wouldn't be as interesting to Jeanine as a partially alive Dresden was. So she had to live. Unfortunately, it seemed she'd also caught on to the fact that he didn't want her dead and she started to laugh.

"Oh if you think my not killing you is any better than what's going to happen to you when Jeanine gets you, you're wrong. See, she's been waiting for you; she has some special sims for you. Not only that, but she wants to see what happens when you put a Divergent into their fears, let's see you smash the glass on that water tank in real life." As Eric spoke he maneuvered the Stiff into a positon she couldn't attack him from. Years of training with Dresden meant he was pretty great at pinning people into submission. This particular position was pretty basic, Dresden would have been able to get out of it but the Stiff wasn't clever enough.

Pushing her towards the elevators, the pain still radiating from the bullet wound forces him to limp. They are almost there when she fucking gets the idea to attack again kicking her heel back and up into his balls. The sudden rush of pain is intense as his grip slips and he can see her try to start running. Fool. She should have run the second he dropped to his knees, but her hesitation was all it took.

Surging back to his feet, Eric repaid her earlier favour and thrust his thumb into the bullet wound on her shoulder so he could watch as Tris crippled to the floor screaming in pain. "Not nice is it!" He spat pulling her back to her feet and dragging her into the elevator bank. Throwing her amongst the others, "I want a gun on her at all times." Eric snapped at the closest Dauntless who instantly lifted their gun to train it on her. That wasn't enough and Eric reached out to pull them closer until the gun was pushing against the back of her head. "Not just trained on her, _on_ her!" He reiterated.

"What's the matter Eric?" Tris starts to goad him and he knows what she is doing, he won't let it work, "Afraid of a little girl?"

This time he lets out a short laugh. Fuck he hates her. "I'm not stupid. That little girl act might have worked on me before but it won't work again." Crouching down in front of her, Eric pushed his hair out of his face. "Which is why I'm sure you'll be put down soon enough." He says it to scare her, really he hopes Jeanine will keep her new plaything for a while. At least long enough to get Dresden out of Erudite and somewhere safe away from Jeanine.

Eric's eyes scan the line of Divergents. There are five, including the Stiff, but as the elevator rings a sixth is pushed to his knees along the line. It isn't Four though. Eric can't help the growl that comes from his chest. Four is a loose cannon. He has to be in the building somewhere, no way would he have gone to Hancock and left Tris alone. So why the fuck haven't they found him? He wouldn't be under simulation, they'd have to notice him as a Divergent. But then, he'd faked it once before and he wasn't stupid. He could have been lying on the floor playing unconscious as the Dauntless ran straight past him.

They keep waiting, and as more levels are reported clear two more Divergents are added to the group but still no sign of Four. As the last floor is reported clear, Eric decides there's no more time to look for Four. He needs to get them out of here.

"Erudite only needs two of you. The highest two ranking in divergence." Eric says as he walks up to the first in the line. A balding guy, definitely a Candor by his clothing and his old age. "Divergent 10%" The scanner states and Eric looks at it with a bored expression.

"Well shit!" He scoffs with a shake of his head, "You're almost normal." Pulling out his gun, Eric proceeds to shoot him in the head, "That's boring." He can't help but smile to himself as he sees Tris flinch at his actions. This is all her fault; Dresden would be safe in Factionless if she hadn't come along.

"That is not part of the mission!" Max calls over to him from the other side of the room. "Jeanine said bring two back to Erudite, nothing about killing the rest."

"So what?! As far as I am concerned the rest of them are still outlaws." Walking towards Max he kept eye contact with the older man, watching as Max crumbled under his gaze.

"Let's just wrap this up quickly, we still have the Dauntless traitors on their way." Eric wanted to hit him because that was what he was trying to do, get things done quickly. Instead of wasting time piling everyone into the trucks, he was just killing those they didn't need. But now Max was wasting his time with stupid questions too.

Eric walked past Tris smirking as he walked over to the little boy Tris had been trying to save, crouching down to scan him. He could feel Tris' eyes on him. "Divergent 40%."

"Well I guess it's not you either." Eric stood back to his full height lifting his gun.

Pointing it at the kids head, the little boy is stammering, begging him. He hesitates as he looks down at the boy, and notices the kid has blue eyes. Kadence had blue eyes – his daughter had blue eyes. Never before had he hesitated. Killing was part of being Dauntless. He'd never had a problem pulling the trigger. Besides, the Divergents were going to die anyway. Killing them now just got it over and done with and meant they had less people to take back to Erudite. But he paused as the little boys' eyes looked up at him, wide with fear and unshed tears.

That hesitation was all the Stiff needed, and he was being tackled to the floor, his gun spinning across the room as she went for a punch to his face. Grappling on the floor, it took him a few moments to get her locked into submission. His temper flared, fuck he wanted to kill her. Choking her was so incredibly satisfying, the stupid fucking bitch. As he watched her lips turn blue, he wondered, not for the first time, why did Dresden sacrifice her life for this girl?

"ENOUGH!" Max's shout bought Eric back to the present and he let her throat go. "We still need to test her."

Eric growled but backed away and let Max scan Tris as she lay on the floor gasping for air. "Divergent 100%" The fuck! Was all Eric could think as he took the device from Max and pointed it at her again, "Divergent 100%". Oh this was perfect. Jeanine was going to love this. He'd done it, he'd found the perfect Divergent and none of the rest mattered.

"Go and inform Jeanine we've found the one she's been looking for. It's Tris Prior." He told Max who left straight away. He stood back up and turned to the closest loyal Dauntless, "Kill the others, we have all we need." Before he pulled the Stiff up to her feet. "The rest of you move out!"

Escorting Tris to the main doors, they are nearly there when Eric feels the cold metal slipping into him under his ribs.

Fuck, was all he could think as he fell to the floor, Tris's blade slipping from him as he groaned in pain. Shit. Curling into a ball he could hear the sounds of the Dauntless traitors storming the building. Four's fucking voice, he could hear both Stiff's talking and he couldn't help the smirk. While painful, his wound wasn't fatal and now he'd get an audience with both Tris and Four. Jeanine would be informed Tris was the one she wanted and she'd be focused on finding her. Being stabbed wasn't part of the plan so he'd say Plan B was off to a mildly problematic start.


	11. Chapter 10

_"_ _HEY ERUDITE!" Eric stopped by the training room doors, he'd thought he was alone but the shout came from behind him. He knew who it was before he turned around and saw Dresden Yorke standing on the mats in the center of the room. He always knew when she was close because the hairs on the back of his arms and neck stood up. When he heard her voice he could barely hear anything else._

 _Turning to look at her he was stunned by how fierce she looked, her long dark hair held back by a series of braids, dark eye make-up and tight black clothing. Then there was the permanent look of disdain on her face, in the four weeks they'd been in Dauntless he'd never seen her smile. Smirk yes but never smile. Watching her fight was one thing, seeing the way her body coiled and released, but fighting her was a completely different thing. Feeling all her power and strength, trying desperately to control it, he'd never been so fucking turned on in his life than he had when he fought Dresden Yorke._

 _And now she was standing in front of him, her eyes cold and pinned on him. He was in trouble. He could tell from the look on her face. He should probably be afraid of what she would do, she did have her dagger in hand. He'd seen her do many things with that blade, but he didn't care in this moment. "Yorke." He smirked, folding his arms over his chest and planting his feet._

 _"_ _I just went to see Four in the infirmary. Seems a group of the other transfers jumped him in the showers." From Dresden's cold hard tone it was clear she was accusing him of been involved._

 _"_ _I take it think I was involved but as you can see, I've been in here all afternoon. I went to dinner with everyone else then I came back to train."_

 _"_ _You fight Four tomorrow right?" She questioned._

 _"_ _Well I was supposed to."_

 _"_ _Oh you still will be. Your goons didn't do a good enough job." Oh that laugh. It might have been sarcastic but it was the sweetest sound he'd ever heard. The sound of joyous victory in her voice, but the thing she really didn't understand was he hadn't done shit this time._

 _"_ _Just what are you accusing me of Yorke?"_

 _"_ _You know exactly what I am saying!" Dresden pocketed her dagger as she jumped down from the mats, now on his level but still a good ten feet away._

 _"_ _But I want to hear you say it."_

 _"_ _You are a pathetic coward and rather than face Four tomorrow you orchestrated an attempt on his life!"_

 _"_ _What an imagination you have. How does it feel to be ranked third? Weren't you meant to be the darling of Dauntless? A prodigy? How does it feel being beaten to the spot you've been training for your whole life by two transfers?"_

 _"_ _I am the highest ranked female in initiation. I'm beating all the Dauntless-born male initiates and I can't even shoot a gun straight. No one has been able to pin me in a fight and thanks to you I am unbeatable at knife throwing now." It was true, since his impromptu lesson Dresden hadn't missed a target even once they'd started on to moving targets. Truthfully, she was still shit with a gun but give her a blade and she was lethal. "Rather a disappointment than a coward. Just admit it you arranged the whole hit on Four."_

 _"_ _I am not a coward!"_

 _"_ _You're a pathetic Erudite and you don't belong here!" She shouted. It probably wasn't the smartest idea he'd ever had but he blamed it on the fact he was thinking with the wrong head. Seeing Dresden all fired up storming towards him, all that uncontrolled rage, turned him on unbelievably. Blocking her slap with his forearm he grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her face to his to claim her lips._

 _Dresden froze in his hands, her arm still in the air ready to slap him her eyes wide with shock. It took her a moment before she started to kiss him back and fuck it was the hottest thing. He had totally forgotten where he was as Dresden surrendered completely to him letting his tongue slip into her mouth when she fucking bit his lip._

 _"_ _Fuck!" He grunted breaking away from her and running the heel of his hand over his bottom lip. The fucking crazy bitch had drawn blood. She'd just busted his fucking lip._

 _Hours could have past as they stood there, blood dripping from his lip, glaring at each other. Both of their chests heaving, a combination of anger and lust driving them. Something snapped inside both of them that had them lunging for one another. There was no finesse in their kissing, it was all teeth and fighting for dominance, a hunger that wouldn't be satisfied._

 _"_ _I didn't have shit to do with an attack on Four… I want to fight him fair and square." Eric ground out as Dresden's lips latched onto his neck her teeth scrapping over his jugular._

 _Breaking away Dresden took a moment to look at him, "He's going to destroy you." She smirked, pushing him backwards on to the mat before crawling on his lap and claiming his lips again. Tearing her lips away again she ran her fingers over his jaw bone, "I just hope he doesn't make to much of a mess of your pretty face."_

 _Growling Eric grabbed a fistful of hair and forced her lips back to his, "Shut the fuck up." Brushing his lips over hers he kept her eyes locked on his before claiming her lips forcefully and brutally._

Thinking about it now Eric realised it was a rather fitting start to their relationship, it certainly hadn't been the last time a fight had ended with them making out or tearing the clothes off each other. Fuck, once she'd held a blade to his throat while he was buried deep inside her. Before Dresden his life had been organised, neat and ordered like any good Erudite. Hurricane Dresden had no time for plans or organisation, she had a life to live and she'd woken something up inside him.

Jack Kang was standing at the foot of his hospital bed again. The nurse had told him he should be thankful the blade hadn't hit anything vital but fuck he had no idea how long he'd been out and he was feeling the furthest thing from grateful. Dresden was still in Erudite and now he was at the mercy of Candor and the traitorous Dauntless. "It would seem Jeanine is rather invested in getting you back. She reminded me of Candor's weak position in society and you will be traded back to her later today." Kang stated.

"Good ol' Mother." Eric laughed. Jeanine didn't give two shits if he lived or died. She was more scared that he would do exactly as he planned to do; switch sides and feed Four the information he needed to take Jeanine out and end the Factionless threat. She just wanted him back in Erudite where she could control him, but he was done being her fucking lap dog.

"In the meantime you'll be sent to the detention center to await transport." With that Jack was gone and the nurses were bringing him clothes. He batted away their hands as they attempted to help him get up and dressed. He could dress himself, he didn't need anyone fussing over him.

Pissed off, Eric stepped into the cell they had waiting for him. He had no idea how long he had left in Candor but it needed to be enough time for the Dauntless to get to him. He couldn't turn on Jeanine if there wasn't anyone to turn to. He needed to do it before he left Candor and was nicely presented back to his mother. Surely he'd done enough to piss them off that they would want to get to him before he was given back to Erudite to what they probably assumed was his nice cushy life.

It was Four that eventually led a group of the Dauntless traitors in to his cell, heading straight for him and dragging him to a chair, "mind the stitches." Eric remarked as he calmly sat down. This was a Dauntless style interrogation. "Already picked new leaders I see." He could tell from the way the others all stood deferentially behind Four, Tori and Harrison.

"Would you like me to tell you your crimes?" Tori's standing right in front of him. He notices how all her weight is on her left leg, her right must have been injured in the fight. "Or would you like to list them yourself?" He could say them himself but really they didn't matter.

"Honestly I am surprised you stayed so long in Erudite… actually no, what really surprised me is that you remained hidden for so long." Eric tried to laugh but finding it too painful settled for a smirk.

"You knew?" Tori looked confused like she'd actually thought she was being sneaky while spying in Erudite.

"Of course I knew, you're not that clever."

"Why not sell me out?" He could tell now Tori was genuinely shocked that she was still alive. That he'd known this whole time and not done anything about it.

"Let's call it curiosity."

"Enough" Four stated, "It's time for you to confess to your crimes."

"I want her to list them." Eric nodded his head towards Tris, running his fingers over the knife wound in his stomach. It still ached, a dull reminder of the blade she'd pushed into him.

"Leave her out of this!" Four shouted slamming his hand on the chair. Eric couldn't help goading him further. "Why? Because you are doing her? Oh wait I forgot Stiff's don't do that sort of thing. They just tie each other's shoes and cut each other's hair." Eric paused for a moment, "I want her to list them."

Tris stepped forward. "You conspired with Erudite. You are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Abnegation. You betrayed Dauntless. You ordered the death of fifteen Candor. You are a ridiculous plaything of Jeanine Matthews."

"Do I deserve to die?" Eric asked her.

"Yes." Her voice was so sure, he wanted to laugh.

"You won't kill me though." He was sure of that; they wouldn't kill him.

"Why?" Four asked and Tris moved out of his way so Four could stand directly in front of Eric again, "Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you."

"Because I am begging you!" Eric knew that Four wanted the satisfaction of him begging and god if it had only been his life on the line he wouldn't have given in. Dying didn't scare him, he was only too happy for Four to pull that trigger. After all it was Four that would suffer the most with the blood on his hands when he realised killing was necessary. But it wasn't his life he was begging for. Dresden's death at the hands of Jeanine would not be nearly as quick as a bullet to the head from Four. So he would beg for his life to keep Dresden alive and safe from Jeanine.

"What!?"

"If you kill me… you are killing Dresden. Right now she is comatose in Erudite and the only thing stopping Jeanine from killing and dissecting her is me."

"You don't have the kind of authority to stop them. You're lying because you're scared to die."

"You've seen my fears Four, you know I'm not afraid to die. I have six fears and you know what the biggest is." Eric was right, Four did know what Eric was afraid of. As the last initiate to be tested in the fear landscape, he had been the only initiate to see Eric's fears.

 _Four wondered many things about Eric Coulter. He wondered why the former Erudite hated him so much. Why Eric was so obsessed with the number one spot. What did Dresden see in him? What made Eric, who wanted nothing to do with anyone else Dauntless, want Dresden? What was Eric Coulter afraid of? And now he would get to find out as the screen on the wall went blue signalling Eric was being injected with the serum. Eric had an average sim time of seventeen minutes which made him, Dresden and Four the fastest initiates._

 _Blue quickly became water filled with fish, they kept swimming at Eric as he was fighting to break the surface. Even as he broke through the water, the fish kept coming. Four was pretty damn sure that fish didn't bite but these ones were going for Eric's toes as he treaded water. Four almost wants to laugh as Eric starts swimming for Navy Pier obviously planning on climbing out of the water. The big bad Eric Coulter is scared of fish, harmless fish – they eat fish in the canteen on Fridays and yet Eric is afraid._

 _As Eric climbed out of the water, spiders started crawling out from the structure and Four let his head drop back. Seriously. Of all the things Eric could be afraid of fish and spiders were his first two. Four's interest was quickly lost and he let his eyes drift shut._

 _Until he heard Dresden's voice, "You're pathetic, weak, useless. No wonder your parents had no time for you. Why would I ever want you?" His eyes shot open to see Eric in a situation not so different from the one he'd seen earlier from Dresden herself. Except this time, it was Eric being rejected. Now this was something interesting, Eric was scared of rejection whether this was rejection from Dresden specifically, or rejection as a whole, he couldn't tell but he was clearly afraid._

 _Dresden's reaction had been to lash out but Eric just took a breath and walked straight past her, though it visibly took him effort to push everything back as he got on with the task in front of him. Following Eric through to a huge open space, Four wondered what the hell this fear could be. There was literally nothing. Eric was alone in a vast wasteland. The complexity of what the landscape was trying to show had Four lost and yet Eric's vitals showed he was shaken by this barren sight._

 _And then it hit Four that maybe this wasn't as abstract as he was thinking. Perhaps, as he watched Eric walk through the empty space, it was just that simple. Eric was afraid of being alone. For someone who seemed to push everyone away it seemed a strange fear. Despite not doing anything physical it seemed the calming of his vitals was enough to get Eric through this fear as people started flooding the space fighting all around him._

 _It was chaos. No one had any control and around Eric countless Dauntless were dying. "PULL BACK!" Eric was shouting but no one was listening, to lost in the fight to survive. Control, this fear was the loss of control. Eric actually did really well keeping his calm and pulling everyone back, regaining control. He seemed to thrive as fear pounded through his veins. The type of person you'd want on your side when shit was going wrong. Except he was a total dick._

 _"_ _ERIC!" it was Dresden again screaming this time. She sounded like she was in a lot of trouble. Eric was near the main entrance to Dauntless when the scream came. Four felt like he was watching an old time movie in slow motion as Eric started sprinting towards where the scream came from._

 _He was nearly there when he got thrown back as Dauntless exploded. Flames burst from the doors and windows as the building started to collapse. Four saw the hesitation in Eric's face as he looked at the flames but when Dresden's scream came again from inside Eric shook it off and ran into the flames. The fire was everywhere but Eric never slowed down as he ran._

 _Four watched as Eric ran through the ruins of Dauntless his gun in hand going room to room looking for survivors. In the third room he finds her, Dresden is half buried under a pile of rubble. Eric drops down to his knees next to her and Four swears he can see tears in the heartless bastards' eyes. There is obviously no pulse by the way Eric's body deflates after he checks her wrist for any sign of life. Eric is left kneeling next to her looking at her body. This is it, Eric's biggest fear is Dresden dying. It's also the fear that takes Eric the longest to overcome. Everything else has taken him two minutes at most, this though… he's been beside Dresden at least that long doing nothing. After three minutes he leans forward and places a kiss on her lips before getting up and continuing on his mission. Leaving the room, he wakes up and Eric finishes at 17 minutes and 37 seconds which makes him the fastest non-Divergent by five minutes._

 _Seeing Eric's fears had been enlightening. He had some pathetic little fears, spiders and fish, but others that were more deep and profound. And his biggest fear was Dresden dying._

"You need to get me back to Erudite so I can help you but I can't do that without risking Dresden here." Clearly Eric was trying his hardest to ensure the camera in the corner of his cell couldn't hear him speaking or see his mouth moving. But Four still couldn't bring himself to trust Eric, he was a cold blooded power hungry murderer.

"So die!"

"What?!" Eric asked his eyes widening as Four pulled the trigger.

 _A/N So big cliff hanger and I am the worst because I am now going on a ten day cycling holiday in the lake district (England) with no internet so I won't be able to update until I get back. But in the mean time your idea's and comments make me really happy! Do you guys think Eric is dead? And a big shout out to mmelody6 and the love you show my story thank you it makes me want to write more._


	12. Chapter 11

"That is the last time I let you make the plan." Eric growled as Four carelessly, and pain medicine free, dug the bullet out of Eric's shoulder.

"You're lucky I let you live." Four scoffed as he dressed the wound in Eric's shoulder. "Besides, I had to fire the gun, there had to be blood, and they couldn't exactly find the bullet in the wall if we want Erudite to think you are dead."

"Gee thanks. Your girlfriend stabs me and then you shoot me… really letting me live aren't you. And I didn't want Erudite to think I was dead. Your stupid idea has possibly just killed Dresden!" Eric was pissed, if Jeanine thought he was dead nothing was going to stop her cutting Dresden's life support so she could start dissecting her. In fact, why would she even wait until she was dead? Why not just carve her up while she was still breathing, better results from live tissue samples anyway.

"You said Dresden is in trouble, start talking." Four snapped throwing the supplies back in the med kit and stepping around to the other side of the table where Tori and Harrison had already taken seats. Tris stood in the far corner, she shouldn't have been there but no one was going to stop her. Tori and Harrison hadn't been overly impressed by Four's decision to spare Eric and bring him back to Dauntless. They'd both agreed Eric was just playing with his emotions, but Four hadn't been so sure. Eric had seemed truly desperate. He'd had a look in his eyes that Four had only seen once before when he'd tried to follow Dresden into the burning building.

"Abnegation was hiding a box; Jeanine now has it. It holds some important message and she is desperate to hear it but it can only be opened by a Divergent."

"That's what she has in her lab? That's why she is hunting Divergents?" Tori interrupted Eric and despite him technically having no power in the room, the look he threw Tori shut her up.

"Jeanine thought all Divergents were the same. Turns out there are different percentages of Divergence."

"The scanner?" This time it was Harrison that cut Eric off and again Eric gave him a nasty look but at least this time he answered the question.

"It tells us the percentage of Divergence. But Jeanine didn't work this out until she'd already put Dresden into the sim to open the box. This sim though it's not like the fear sim in initiation. If you get hurt in this sim, you get hurt in real life. This sim can kill you." Fuck, Four thought sitting back in his seat running his hand over his face.

"Dres?" It was Tris that asked this question stepping forward, concern on her face. Eric wanted to scream at her that it was all her fault. He didn't even get why she cared, they'd spent some time together in Amity but so what? It can't have been that big of a bonding exercise. Dresden just wasn't that nice of a person. She was bitchy, snarky and very closed off and Eric doubted she would have just let Tris in. But instead he just took a breath and told them what had happened to Dresden.

"During the Amity simulation, she began drowning in the blood of people she blames herself for the death of." He felt there was no need to elaborate any further than that, "I managed to get her out of the sim before she died and she's in the hospital at the moment. But as soon as she wakes up Jeanine has other tests she wants to perform on Dresden. She won't survive long. Jeanine won't touch her until I get back, she won't kill her while my threat still stands."

"Jeanine is scared of you?" Tris looked confused. Hell, only Tori understood why Jeanine would be scared of him.

"A lot of people are scared of me."

"Jeanine isn't scared of Eric, she's scared of losing her longest running science project – her son. She is married to Doctor Henry Coulter and together they had one child, Eric. He was the perfect Erudite top 3% of all his classes a genius. Then come choosing day, he picked Dauntless."

"Erudite was boring and dull." Eric would never admit that he picked Dauntless because he wanted to get away from his mother and he wanted freedom. His test result had been Erudite but he couldn't face the idea of staying under her power. Little did he know, defecting to Dauntless had always been part of her plan for him.

"Bullshit! Your mother planted you here. She's been planning this for years. Ever since her son started developing skills that might get him through Dauntless initiation and into a leadership position." As Tori was arguing with Eric, Four, Tris and Harrison were still having a hard time digesting what they had been told. Eric was Jeanine's son. In a way that made his loyalty more understandable, but now he was ready to betray his own mother. Something Tris couldn't even begin to understand. "You've been a leader for three years though, what took her so long to enact her plan? … Dresden. You stopped answering to Jeanine when you married Dresden, you thought she died and Jeanine got her lap dog back and could continue with her plans."

"Jeanine has Dresden who is fighting for her life and could kill her at any moment. The only thing keeping her alive was Jeanine's fear of losing her son and we've just made her think you're dead." Four decided he needed to pull this meeting back on track.

"And that is why you shouldn't be allowed to make the plans." Eric seethed.

"So how do we get in to save her?" Four pressed, obviously trying to ignore his comment but Eric could see the cracks in his perfect façade. He was getting to him.

"You don't." Lifting his hands in a shrug, "You won't get within a hundred feet of Erudite."

"Well then what the hell is the plan?" Four's patience was wearing thin. He understood Eric might be the only way to save Dres, provided she was even still alive. He wouldn't put it past Eric to concoct this entire elaborate plan to trap Four and the rest of the rebels, knowing that his friends were his weakness.

"She does." Eric nodded his head towards Tris. The former leader didn't even flinch as Four slammed him into the wall pinning him by his throat. The threat to Tris had pushed him over the edge and he was done playing around.

"NO. You leave Tris out of this." Tori stepped forward and told him to let Eric go as he'd begun to turn blue.

"She is it the perfect Divergent, the one Jeanine has been looking for. The only way anyone is getting past security and into Erudite is if they are Tris Prior or an Erudite."

"Absolutely not! Come up with a new plan."

"We don't have time for a new plan, every minute here is more time Jeanine has to test on Dresden! If it was Tris in there you'd stop at nothing… she is your best friend and you are leaving her to die."

"Take Eric back to his rooms and dead lock it so he can't get out. He'll be safer there than in a cell." Tori stated, recognising that nothing more was going to get done right now. Eric and Four in the same room was only going to lead to a fight. They'd heard what Eric had to say, heard his plan, and now they needed time to amend it. Thankfully Eric went willingly enough, only escorted by one guard. Tori knew it was only because Eric needed them on his side to take down Erudite, the enemy of my enemy is my friend kind of thing.

"I want to do it." Tris spoke the moment it was just the four of them in the room.

"No fucking way." Four snapped, "We'll come up with another way in."

"You heard Eric, there is no other way!"

"Four, you weren't with the Dauntless traitors and the Erudite security team, that place is a fortress. It would take a huge force to get in and we don't have the numbers. We need someone inside the building to disable security systems. Eric is the only one but he can't get in empty handed, he needs to take Jeanine a prize. He needs to take her Tris."

"What about the sewer, the old subway network?"

"It's all blocked off with big heavy guarded doors under Erudite. Jeanine has been planning this for years."

"What about our numbers with the Factionless?"

"We can't trust them and even with them I doubt it would be enough. With the security disabled we might have a shot but they have sensors, cameras and trip wires set up everywhere. An invading force wouldn't get close enough."

"It's like you want this to fail."

"I want to win! I want Jeanine gone but that's not going to be possible if we don't stop and think about this. I love Dresden, and right now she is the leverage we need to control Eric. I understand delaying is putting her life in danger but right now we don't have a choice. We can't just run in there without a solid plan. You don't want to use Eric's plan, okay, but we need another option and so far you aren't coming up with any viable ones."

"As soon as this is over I plan on putting him down once and for all. His crimes are enough to warrant the death penalty and he's already been judged in front of the Dauntless. Once this is over, I intend on carrying out his sentence so we won't need to control him. As for viable plans, Tris being bait is not part of any plan. He doesn't care about her, and he'll let Jeanine kill her while he saves Dresden without a second thought!"

"Right now we need to work out a way to get these implants out of you guys safely. Until then, we don't even have a handful of people ready to face Erudite. I am going to talk to Eric and see what he knows." Tori ran her fingers over the implant in Tris' shoulder as she spoke before turning to leave the room.

Tris followed Tori out of the room back into The Pit. She didn't want to be around Four right now when he was treating her like a child. "On a scale of one to ten, how likely do you think it is that Eric would help us with these implants?" Tori asked as they walked into The Pit together.

"Why Eric?"

"He's been beside Jeanine through all of this, he must have some idea of what is in the tech and he is the type of guy to always have a back-up plan. He'd have worked out a way of getting these things out safely in case he ever got hit by one. Like he'd tell me though, that's a stupid thought. 'You're supposed to be smart work it out yourself Wu!'"

"I'd say he might help us considering he needs us to help him. He knows that it's a two way street, we aren't just going to give in to his demands."

"What do you think of his plan?"

"I think it's our best option right now."

"You'd do it? Put your life in his hands?"

"I am only out here alive today because of Dres. I owe her my life… we owe her our lives. She gave herself up to stall Eric so Tobias, Caleb and I could get away."

"Sounds like Dresden saw a way out of a situation and took it without thinking about the consequences to herself. It was what made her such a great Dauntless. But she was smart, knowledgeable and inquisitive too, not to mention self-sacrificing. Guess you understand better than most just how Abnegation she is."

"How did she even end up with someone like Eric?"

"Many of us have asked the same question Tris, it's not even like he's that different with her. But he does love her even if he's won't say it. His actions have said it for him." Tori stopped walking as they reached the stairwell up to her apartment. "You should get some food and sleep, we sent some of the guys to find whatever food they could in the kitchens."

Tori had been right, there was hot food in the dining hall. Grabbing some, Tris headed up to the initiates dorm room. She hadn't been assigned an apartment and wasn't really sure where things stood with Tobias right now. Not to mention her mind was spinning from everything with Eric. Partly him been Jeanine's son, but mainly him showing just how much he really did love Dres. That had shocked her, just how far Eric was willing to go to save her. She hadn't thought he had a heart yet here he was wearing it on his sleeve for the world to see. Despite feeling full and comfortable for the first time in ages, it took Tris a long time to finally drift off to sleep. Eric's words, his declaration of her being the very thing Jeanine was searching for had hit her hard and scared her.

The guard had dropped Eric off at his own apartment which had surprised him. He'd expected to go to the cells, but then anyone in Dauntless could get to him there. No one would think to look for him locked up in his own apartment. It was smart… clearly not Four's idea. If he had to guess, he thought it was probably Tori's idea. She was the smartest of the new leaders and she was the one who had listened to what he was saying. Four was too emotional.

"Don't bother trying the door, your codes have been overridden." Alec, Eric thought the guards name was, told him before leaving him in peace with all his old things. It was stupid no one had swept the apartment before leaving him alone there. Within the first two minutes he'd already found six of Dresden's knifes, not to mention their safe still held most of his hand gun collection.

Part of him wanted to hope they weren't really this stupid and it was just to see if he would try and kill them. But in reality, he doubted any of them would have thought his apartment might be stocked with weapons he could use. Instead of taking any of the weapons, Eric headed to his room to find the photo hidden under his pillow opened his bedside table to find the cigarettes stored there.

He'd never been much of a smoker. To some Dauntless it was considered sacrilege to have a habit that made you less able to perform physically. But for him the nicotine had been a stress reliever when he'd had a shitty day. Heading out to the balcony, Eric just jumped straight up onto the wall and leant against the building. Lighting a cigarette, he threw the pack on the balcony floor and looked at the picture in his hand. It had always been his favorite photo of her.

She had been standing in the middle of the training room, a bo staff in one hand and her other hand holding her sweat drenched hair away from her skin. Her clothes were dripping with perspiration but she had a huge smile on her face. She'd just taken Four down for the first time and Lauren had taken a picture to celebrate the moment. It used to have Four lying on the mats at her feet but he'd cut that section away. He loved this picture not just because Dresden was beautiful, she did look beautiful and fierce, but because she looked completely at ease. Still strong and dangerous but in this photo the world was getting to see a little bit of the Dresden behind the armour, behind the thick skin and pissy attitude. The Dresden that laughed and smiled and joked with her friends. Despite the blotchy red face and split lip this picture was his favourite because it was the real her.

Eric didn't know how long he'd been on the balcony, his cigarette had long turned to ash when he started to hear the screams and shouting on the roof above him. He nearly fell from his seat as someone tumbled past his balcony. Jumping down, Eric walked to the edge and leant over to see a woman's body unrecognisable smashed into the concrete below. Looking up Eric couldn't see anything on the ledge. But the commotion up there told him this likely wasn't a suicide. This was Jeanine. She'd used this woman to send her message.

His mother thought he was dead and now the rules had changed. For all Jeanine was a shitty mother, Eric knew that somewhere deep down inside she did care about him. Maybe she even loved him in her own way. It was a crappy kind of love but it was her way. Now that she thought her son was dead, she was grieving and that made her unpredictable. Eric had no doubt she would throw herself deeper into her work and become more determined to find Tris Prior. But her grasp on reality was slipping and she was more dangerous now than ever.

Tris wasn't sure how she ended up outside Eric's apartment opening the front door. Stepping inside she couldn't immediately spot Eric. Glancing around, she was shocked at the apartment in general. There were so many books lying around the place, art work and pictures piled up against the walls. Poking her head into a room, she found a half set up nursery and what must have been Eric's bedroom. Through the bedroom she noticed balcony doors open and walking out she found Eric sitting on the balcony holding a picture and smoking.

"People are dying because of me." Tris stated, breaking the silence as she stepped up to the balcony edge looking over the view of the city.

"Yes." Tris let out a short humourless laugh at Eric's bluntness.

"What is your plan once we get inside?"

"You'll be brought to a cell. If Dresden is awake, you'll probably be put in a cell with her. I'll have to spend time convincing them I haven't switched sides. Once that's done, I can disable the external security in the old subway system so the Factionless and Dauntless can enter into the building. I'll follow you when they bring you into the sim room and the Erudite will be focused on you. That should give me a chance to take control of the room and subdue Jeanine…"

"Will you kill her?"

"Jeanine has done a lot of terrible things but she is my mother and I still have some honor left."

"Once we have control of Erudite, I will get Dresden out and bring her back to Dauntless, where she will be safe."

"And the box?"

"I don't give a shit about the box."

"How do I know you aren't lying and won't leave me to die once you have Dres?"

"I know the Erudite security systems like the back of my hand but right now I don't know where Dresden is being held. Finding her would take time. Getting her from the cells is a near impossible task without being caught. Getting her from the hospital, especially if she is unconscious, is an impossible task. I need to bring down Erudite to get Dresden out."

Tris just looked at Eric. She'd seen him bleeding out on the floor at her feet, and in the middle of an interrogation room with a gun in his face and in both situations he'd just smirked. Like it was all just a bigger part of a plan that only he knew. Now for the first time she saw defeat on his face, resignation as though the end had come and he'd lost. She'd never thought Eric Coulter capable of an emotion like love but it was so painfully obvious that he was crazy about Dresden. She'd hurt him in the worst way imaginable and yet he was still willing to fight to protect her. Maybe Eric wasn't all bad, maybe he was just damaged.

"Stop looking at me with pity. I know you're wondering if I am not as bad as I seem. I am. I am cruel and selfish and I like making others suffer. That's just who I am. I am a bad man, but sometimes you need a ruthless killer to get the job done."

A/N I am back from an amazing 10 days in the lakes with my brothers we literally had every kind of weather imaginable but it was so great to spend time with the two idiots. Thank you too musicluver246 and AriesPrincess-Slyffindor for the comments I love love love reading your comments. And of course a huge thank you to my proof reader I honestly think sometimes I send her the longest rambling piece of crap and she always turns them into these great chapters.


	13. Chapter 12

Screaming out as a sudden rush of pain tore through her shoulder, Dresden tried to sit up in bed and quickly found herself unable to move and choking. Trying to catch her breath and in a blind panic, her choking got worse and she started trying to pull at the tubes in her mouth.

"Dresden calm down, lay back and we can get the tubes out." Dres tried to focus on the voice next to her. It sounded so familiar. But she was suffocating and her hyperventilating and choking quickly caused her to pass out.

The next time she woke up, the first thing Dresden noticed was she could breathe and there was no longer any tubes and she wasn't choking. However, she was now handcuffed to the bed. Fantastic. "Ah you're awake again… my name is Doctor Henry Coulter."

"Eric's father?" Dresden felt strange having to check that the man in front of her was in fact her father-in-law. It felt like something she should already know. He looked like Eric, though a much older greying version of Eric. He was smaller and skinner but that was likely because Henry Coulter didn't train every day for five hours like his son.

"Yes that's right, can you tell me what else you remember?" As Henry spoke, he poured Dresden a cup of water and helped her slowly drink a mouthful before giving her the cup.

"My name is Dresden Coulter. I am twenty-four years old and I chose Dauntless. I graduated third in my class and married Dauntless leader Eric Coulter. I was bought to Erudite for testing because I am Divergent. I was put in a sim and I drowned…" Dresden knew the drill. She'd woken up in the infirmary a couple of times before and the questions were always the same. So rather than waiting for Dr Coulter to go through them all she just ran through the answers.

"That's a good sign, you seem to remember everything that happened. We were concerned the prolonged lack of oxygen to the brain during your drowning may have caused permanent damage. Can you please wiggle your left toes… good and now the right… and your fingers left and… right. That looks good, and how do you feel?"

"In pain… I don't know I guess I just have this weird feeling. I woke up because my shoulder was hurting. It felt like someone shot me." Running her fingers over the area she couldn't feel anything but the first time she' woken it had been agony. She'd been certain a bullet was tearing through her shoulder.

"The only bullet wound you have is in your leg and it's healing very well. There is nothing wrong with your shoulder."

"It doesn't hurt so much anymore. It was really weird. I just had this feeling like something bad had happened and then I felt it. It doesn't hurt anymore but my chest is killing me. How long was I out?"

"Despite there being no fluid in your lungs, your body reacted as though it was drowning. Your heart stopped and you underwent close to a minute of intense resuscitation before we got you back. There is a lot of bruising on your chest, though no broken ribs. You've only been out fifty-six hours." Fifty-six hours, so just over two day's unconscious. "What about your head, how is that feeling?"

"Achy… like someone hit me over the head with something very heavy."

"That's to be expected. Are you are seeing and hearing everything clearly?

"Yes."

"What about smell and taste?"

"Well I can't smell anything bad and I can taste my mouth is horrible." Dresden ran her tongue over her teeth in disgust.

"I'll go get you something to brush your teeth. Let me know straight away if anything changes. If I am not in the room press this button and someone will come." True to his word, Henry returned not a minute later with a toothbrush and toothpaste. She wanted to ask Dr Coulter where Eric was, if he knew she was awake or if he even cared she'd nearly died. But she couldn't bring herself to ask, so she just took the toothbrush with a soft thank you and started to clean her teeth.

Dresden was part way through brushing her teeth when the door to her room flew open. "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" Jeanine screeched as she flew into the hospital room. Henry stood immediately, assuming he had done something. He was used to being at the receiving end of his wife's temper, it was why he'd moved into the apartment down the hall when Eric was five. He'd figured not having his father around was probably better for Eric than listening to his parents fight every night. Jeanine walked past Henry and slammed her hands down on the end of Dresden's bed. "YOU POISONED HIS MIND! YOU KILLED HIM!"

Dresden might have been sitting down in bed but as Jeanine's words hit she felt like she was free falling. "no… no… no" She just kept whispering.

"YOU DID THIS… IT'S YOUR FAULT MY SON IS DEAD!" Dresden started to shake. She wanted to scream and cry but nothing came out as she bent forward, her shaking hands lifting to her face. Just repeating her mantra of no it wasn't true, Eric wasn't dead, he couldn't be dead.

"Eric?" Henry couldn't believe what he was hearing. Eric was young and fit and healthy. He was cautious and clever and he should have had a long life ahead of him.

"HER KIND MURDERED HIM!" Jeanine stepped right up to Dresden, "Tobias Eaton murdered him, executed him in a Candor prison cell in front of the Dauntless traitors. Shot him in cold blood and then dragged the body back to Dauntless!"

"If there is no body maybe Mr Eaton didn't take a kill shot, we can't be sure he is dead until we see the body. There is still hope for our boy, Jeanine."

"Hope is a fools' currency Henry. They murdered him, and it's her fault. She ruined him!" Jeanine hissed, "Since the patient is awake and stable she can go back to her cell. We will continue with testing tomorrow."

"Jeanine, it's too soon. Dresden is still very weak, running tests on her now would kill her." Henry tried to argue knowing Eric wouldn't want Dresden to die. His son loved this woman that much had been obvious to him. Her only crime was being born different, something they didn't yet understand.

"Good. Give the prisoner some clothes. I will send someone to escort her back to her cell within the hour." He'd always known Jeanine was cruel. Their marriage had been based on science, their attributes and IQ suggested they would make a good child together. Eric had been more than the algorithms could have predicted or so Henry had always believed. His little boy had been perfect but Jeanine had always seen room for improvement. She'd pushed Eric in everything, given him so little free time that in his time away from the hospital Henry rarely saw his son. Eric saw it as his fault, saw him as a neglectful father and didn't understand it was Jeanine keeping them apart and now it was too late. But he could protect Dresden for his son.

"Jeanine she isn't ready to leave the hospital. She needs another twenty-four hours of observations at least."

"She will be under constant observation from her cell and during testing." Jeanine hissed before storming out of the room leaving Henry standing over the still shaking but silent Dresden.

"Dresden?" Henry asked crouching down next to her trying to coax her to sit up again and brush her hair away from her face.

"Please tell me she's lying. He's not gone!" Dresden was crying now that Jeanine had left the room. Choking on her words as Henry held her head up looking at her with so much sadness.

"I don't know." He really hoped Jeanine was wrong and until he'd seen Eric's body he wouldn't believe it. After all, until days ago Dresden Coulter had been dead yet here she was alive and strong. But Tobias Eaton had reason to hate Eric, Eric had been hunting him and his girlfriend Beatrice Prior.

"It's my fault… it's all my fault."

"No, Eric made his own decisions. You are not to blame for his actions and his mother's manipulation."

"But I left and pushed him back to her… I never should've left. I fucked everything up."

"Eric loved you, and losing you hurt him but he is a grown man and he made his own decision to return to working for Jeanine. You cannot blame yourself for Eric's mistakes. He believed you were dead and that was your fault. What isn't your fault is his choice to side with Jeanine. Would he have done that if he knew you were alive? We'll never know. But Eric knows his own mind and he made the decision to return to Jeanine."

"Why is he gone?"

"We don't know he is gone."

"Four probably thinks I'm dead. Eric was trying to hurt everyone Four cared about. Any man can go to extraordinary extremes for the people he loves and Tobias Eaton is not just any man. He would kill Eric in cold blood to protect his family."

"You and Tobias were close?"

"He was my best friend." Dresden felt herself break a little more as she tried to accept that her best friend had most likely executed her husband. Jeanine had mentioned that all of Dauntless was at the trial and Eric had been found guilty of crimes against Dauntless and his sentence had been death. "He hated my relationship with Eric… I hated my relationship with Eric. I just got to the point I couldn't fight it anymore.

 _"_ _Fantastic what have I done to Four this time?" Eric asked as Dresden stormed into the transfer dorms where he was sitting naked and alone on his bed with a book. He didn't look in the least bit concerned that he was completely exposed._

 _"_ _Are you fucking serious?!" Dresden snapped the moment she regained her composure and remembered why she was there._

 _"_ _If you'd tell me what I've supposedly done to your precious Stiff I would be able to tell you."_

 _"_ _You are the most condescending arrogant asshole I've ever met."_

 _"_ _What do you want Dresden?"_

 _"_ _It doesn't even fucking matter anymore, because I don't even know what I was thinking when I came looking for you in the first place."_

 _"_ _No tell me." Eric put his book down and climbed off his bed walking towards her growing slightly concerned and also pissed off that she was now so set on not telling him._

 _"_ _I don't want to tell you anymore. Enjoy your book, Erudite." Dresden nodded back to his book before she turned and walked off. Grabbing his sweats off the end of his bed Eric shoved them on before following her out of the room._

 _It took him nearly half an hour to find Dresden, checking the training room, her parents' apartment, the mess hall, and the pit, before heading up the roofs. She was on the opposite roof. The gap between the buildings wasn't huge and he'd seen Dresden make the leap hundreds of times but he personally had never done it._

 _Eric lands the jump with the least dignity he's ever had before, shredding his hands on the gravel and tearing up the knees of his sweats._

 _"_ _You gotta tuck and roll. No book teach you that?" Dresden was standing over him looking at him like he was an idiot._

 _"_ _Why did you come and find me?"_

 _"_ _Why did you follow me?" Dresden countered._

 _"_ _Because you are impossible!"_

 _"_ _I may be impossible but you are an arrogant, condescending, pompous, selfish, cruel Erudite that despite all his knowledge and brain power seem to understand nothing!"_

 _"_ _So why would you come looking for me."_

 _"_ _Because despite all of that, despite the fact I should hate you, and stay far away from you because I know you're just going to hurt me… I can't..." Eric couldn't believe what he was hearing. She had just insulted him and yet she was hinting that despite all that, she liked him?_

 _Closing the gap between them, Eric ran his fingers over her jawline tilting her head to look up at him. "Say it." He demanded. Dresden shook her head keeping her lips sealed and Eric pulled her face closer to him, "SAY IT." He growled his eyes burning into hers his nose pushed against her cheek while his lips grazed hers._

 _"_ _Please." Dresden whispered._

 _"_ _Say it!"_

 _"_ _I… like…spending time with you."_

 _"_ _No!" Eric shook his head, "say it."_

 _"_ _Fuck you."_

 _"_ _You've already done that several times."_

 _"_ _I hate you."_

 _"_ _No you don't… say it."_

 _"_ _I love you." That was all Eric wanted to hear before finally claiming her lips._

True to Jeanine's words Dresden had been collected from the hospital and escorted back to her cell which had been completely stripped. There wasn't even a bed or a bench to sit on anymore. Not that she was in the cell long before she was being escorted back to the lab.

Fear spiked in Dresden as she looked at the glass room in which the box stood on a plinth as though it were some sacred object instead of just another creative way for Jeanine to murder Divergents. Dresden felt Jeanine's presence behind her before she heard her talk.

"Oh don't worry you aren't going back in the sim for the box… no that is reserved for Tris Prior. You will be going back into your fear sim, just your regular fear sim that you saw plenty of times during initiation. We want to watch you go through it again to see if any of your fears have changed. Then… well Eric came up with this idea, it was inspired really. We're going to see how you do facing your fears in real life without that Divergent mind control."

"Ma'am we have two people approaching the perimeter we think we've identified them as Eric Coulter and Beatrice Prior, how should we proceed?" Jeanine pushed the guard away from the screen to look and see for herself. Sure enough the guard had been correct, Eric was walking just behind Beatrice Prior heading for the main entrance. Eric was alive. He was alive and he looked terrible but he was alive and walking and bringing in Beatrice Prior.

Stepping back and allowing the guard to retake his position Jeanine gave the order, "Let them enter, take Prior straight to the cells and take Eric to my office! Put subject six back in her cell."

A/N Thank you guys for your patience so much has changed in my life since my last post all of it good thankfully... but now things are settleing I hope to be able to write more again and I am super excited for what is to come.


	14. Chapter 13

'Electro Mag Pulse 3Hz' Tori just kept staring at the scribbled note stuck to her computer screen in her work shop. She'd recognise the hand writing. The almost illegible chicken scrawl belonged to Eric. Really, she wanted to trust the note she wanted Eric to be helping to be proving his love for Dres. But she just couldn't. Tori also recognised what this note meant… Eric was no longer in his apartment he'd escaped. And whilst she couldn't find it in herself to trust the note she felt no urgent need to alert anyone to a missing Eric even though she knew he would be making his way back to Erudite.

Maybe he would manage his plan without Tris. Get back into Erudite gain enough trust he could provide them away in and get Dres out. Dres… god Tori hope she was alright.

Pulling the note down from her screen Tori wiggled her computer mouse to make the desktop background show. The picture was of Lauren, Dres and herself at the New Year's Party before they plus four had faked Dres' death. As per usual Dres' dress really couldn't have been much tighter or had any less material and still been called a dress. Which of course had meant Eric hadn't been far away from her the whole night, he was in the top left corner of this picture been his usual arrogant self. Arms crossed looking less than impressed. More like a body guard on duty than a husband.

Sticking the note to her desk Tori walked over to dead body of Hanna Yorke, Dres' mom, and ran her fingers over the implant before walking back to the EMP Generator Eric had also left on her desk.

Hanna had been the second to die. She had been in the infirmary patching up the wounded from the attack on Candor when she suddenly died. She'd just crumpled to the floor mid-sentence. The only thing anyone had been able to think could have done this was the implant. Perhaps, Tori wondered well really hoped, it was a sign Dres was alive and not co-operating.

Setting the parameters Tori walked over placing the wires either side of device. The moment she caused the pulse the device almost popped out of the skin jumping up a fraction of an inch but enough to get tweezers on and pull it clean out. The pulse worked it shorted the implants circuits causing it to release the artery it was latched too. Eric was really trying to help them.

"Coulter's gone!" Harrison was standing in her door way his hands pressed into the frame as he leant in panting looking at her in panic.

"I know." Tori responded perfectly calm.

Dres was in danger and Eric wasn't in control of the situation he couldn't handle it. He had to do something and leaving was just that. He was going back to Jeanine, to save Dres and Tori couldn't hold it against him. It was Eric's way of proving just how much he loved her best friend the lengths he was willing to go to keep Dresden safe. And now Tori wondered, maybe telling Eric wouldn't have been that bad. Maybe Dresden had been right all along and Eric would have protected her. She knew what this was though this was Eric doing what Four wasn't willing to making the hard choices. Unlike Four Eric was goal driven. He only ever saw the result he didn't care what had to happen for him to get there, even if that meant killing and the possible loss of innocent life.

"You know?" Harrison sounded outraged and Tori realised that he thought she had let him go, "I know Dresden is your friend but Eric Coulter is highly dangerous…"

"I didn't let him go Harrison. I merely meant he left a note." Tori picked up and handed over the note which Harrison just looked at blankly, "It's how we get our army back it fries the implants we can safely take them out of everyone now."

"How do you know Eric left this?" Harrison hadn't ever really worked with Eric, really, he just had a lot of friends he was enigmatic people wanted to follow him. So of course, he wouldn't recognise Eric's writing other than email's Tori doubted he'd ever had any contact with the former Dauntless leader.

"I recognise the hand writing."

"And it works?" The cautious tone didn't surprise Tori, Harrison didn't trust Eric. She doubted that anyone in Dauntless would trust Eric right now he'd lead them into this mess or at least been manipulated into leading them into this mess. Most of the Dauntless wouldn't believe or understand why he would just switch sides so suddenly. In public, he'd treated Dresden as one of his soldiers no different to herself or Lauren. Really Tori knew she should consider herself lucky Eric ever let her see just how much Dresden meant to him.

"I just tested it on Hanna's… body." Hanna Yorke had been an amazing woman and a fantastic nurse unlike most of the Dauntless nurses Hanna really made you feel warm and welcomed you got the impression she cared. She didn't deserve to die, despite all the pain in her life he son's defections to Amity, her husband's disgrace and suicide, her daughters' apparent death in the fire. Hanna York had still been a pillar of the community remained strong.

"You're sure it didn't come out easier because she's dead?"

"I was trying to get it out of her before I took a break it wasn't budging."

"Do you think Dresden Coulter is still alive?"

"Until Four faked Eric's death yes I think she was. Now, I don't know. But the way Hanna died I feel like maybe that was Jeanine trying to control Dresden or it might just have been revenge for us 'killing' Eric. I pray she is alive or god help those Eric decides to blame for her death." Tori already knew she, Harrison, Four and Tris would all be on that list. That Eric would stop at nothing until they paid for Dresden's life with their own. His revenge wouldn't be swift either he'd make them pay for taking her from him. Eric was a bully and Dresden was his favourite toy, the only thing in the world that could calm him down. The only thing in the world he cared about.

"So, we let him go?" Harrison asked.

"I don't think we have a choice Harrison I am sure by now Eric is already at Erudite… we need to test this on someone alive."

"Use me."

"Harrison?! This could kill you."

"Just do it, its quicker than trying to find a volunteer before we know it works." It did work one pulse and as with Hanna the implant popped out a little and Tori could extract it with tweezers. "I will send the med staff in first then you can brief them on how to take them out everyone else. I assume there's more than one of these devices around?" Tori just nodded in response and Harrison walked out.

The procedure itself didn't take long within an hour Tori had all the medical staff pin free, equipped and ready to extract everyone else's pin. What was taking the time was getting everyone else organised Harrison had started rounding them up with Tori had worked on the med staff but with Four getting some much-needed sleep things where moving slow.

At least though they were moving and in the right direction Tori reminded herself as she just kept working her way through the line of people outside the tattoo shop. All Dauntless had a rank Harrison had split them between the 'hospital' and tattoo parlour depending on that rank. She and the other artist were working on the three beds in here and the med staff ran the hospital.

"Tris is gone!" Four declared bursting into Tori's work area as she was half way through extracting another of the Dauntless girls' implant. Catching the implant as it popped with her tweezers Tori looked up at Four. Obviously, he'd only just woken up his clothes still crumbled from sleep, piles of yellow sleep in the corners of his eyes but he looked alert and panicked.

"Shit." She muttered as it hit her. She'd been so focused on the implants she hadn't thought to think to check if Tris was gone when she'd found Eric's note. Initially she'd just assumed he'd broken himself out, something not outside the realm of possibility for Eric. But now it made sense he'd not broken out Tris had let him out she'd taken him to turn herself in. Tori wanted to scream. Bloody Divergent's always trying to help everyone else no matter the personal cost. Tris was going to get herself killed just like her brother had gotten himself killed.

"Shit… what do you mean shit?!" Tori had wondered but now she knew Four had no idea Eric was missing also.

"We've lost Eric too."

"YOU'VE LOST ERIC?!" In all her years of working with Four Tori had never heard him raise his voice let alone shout in anyone's face. But this one she could understand and she could see his cool and calm façade starting to fail Four was coming undone and Tori could see it in his face he was about to start making rash decisions that could put Tris in more danger.

"Calm down, Eric isn't about to kill her whilst she's the only way he can get Dres back."

"We need to leave follow them now." Time, Tori knew they needed more time but Four was in a rush and so many of the dauntless would be ready to follow him screw the odds.

"Four we don't have the man power to take Erudite you know this especially with only half the implants out. For now, you are just going to have to trust Eric until at the very least the implants are out." It was asking a lot. Tori knew that. Four and Eric had never gotten along they'd never build a bond of trust not really. Or at least Four never learnt to trust Eric.

"We need more people I can get more people." This was what Tori had been fearing ever since Four had first mentioned the Factionless. They couldn't be controlled it was an uncalculated risk and go knows what they would want in return it was rash and reckless and the back lash would be unprecedented.

"No Four including the factionless is a bad idea we can't control them."

"I don't care."

"Stop it you aren't thinking rationally." Tori snapped but Four wasn't listening he was already leaving. "FOUR!" she shouted after him but he just kept walking leaving her with only two options make a scene in front of the Dauntless lower moral further create more problems by showing the cracks in their leadership already. Or just let him go and hope he came to his senses whilst she worked as quickly as possible to get these implants out.

She picked option two and quickly ushered the next Dauntless into her office and set back to work removing the implants.

"Stop staring its rude." Eric snapped still not looking up at Tris who was sat opposite him on the floor of the train as it rushed towards Erudite headquarters.

"Do you really think Dres will still be alive?" That made Eric look up at her though he didn't say anything he just glared before looking back down. That was when Tris realised just how much danger. If Dresden was dead when they got to Erudite no way Eric would remain loyal to Dauntless or to Jeanine. He'd said he wouldn't but Tris really did see Eric killing Jeanine if she'd killed Dresden it was obvious Eric's loyalty to Jeanine wasn't born out of a mother son bond rather something infinitely more sick and twisted.

"I need to beat you up a bit you look too clean to perfect to have been unwillingly dragged out of Dauntless." Eric stated standing up and nodding for her to do the same before slamming his fist into her face grabbing her hair and pulling it as he fell to her knee's holding her upright before hitting her again. There was now blood running down her face and her hair was a total mess she was sure Eric had pulled some of it out. Before he threw her to the floor again stepping over her and flexi cuffing her wrists then pushing her out the train into a dirt bank.

She was pissed as he dragged her to her feet and pushed her in front of his. "Was that necessary?" She hissed but started walking to Erudite none the less.

"Yes, Erudite see's everything from here inwards so shut up." She hadn't known just how far out the Erudite surveillance reached they were a good ten-minute walk from the main building. But if the level of surveillance Eric said there was, was true she doubted they would be walking for much longer.

She was right but it took the Erudite security longer to come and detain them than she was expecting. Though in the six minutes it took them to get to them Tris had noticed camera's she'd previously thought of as a remnant of the city that once was following them obviously active.

What did surprise her though was how they were detaining not only her but Eric. Sure, Eric had expected this planned for this and an interrogation but she hadn't believed it would really happen. He was Jeanine's son surely, she had some love, some trust. But the way they treated Eric, as brutally, as much of a prisoner as herself showed her she'd been wrong about that.

They were put in separate trucks and driven the rest of the way to Erudite headquarters.

It felt like hours that he was left alone in the interrogation room. Really, he knew it wasn't that long but he had no way of telling. The Erudite interrogation room like its cells where padded windowless rooms located in the centre of the building. They were done that way to disorientate people they'd be fed, awoken and moved at random times with all time keeping devices removed. This limited their chances of escape never knowing if it was night or day outside those four walls. They'd often use this method to trick prisoners into thinking longer had passed.

"Well… well… well seems they can't even kill you off." Alistair Rossi was a Candor that had transferred to Erudite he's use of logic to pursue the truth made him a great interrogator and hard to trick but dauntless all learnt interrogation techniques to both withstand letting information slip and withdraw information from others. Specifically, the factionless. "Where have you been?"

"Inside Dauntless gaining the trust of the new leaders."

"Why did they spare you?"

"I used Tobias Eaton's weakness for Dresden Coulter told him she was in danger only I could save her."

"Do you want to save her?"

"She betrayed me and my trust."

"But you loved her right? You married her."

"My wife died one year ago, in an explosion in factionless whilst on patrol duty."

"So, what happened in Dauntless?"

"I convinced the divergent she was the only way we could get inside Erudite. The only way I could win back enough favour to have the freedom to lower the defences to the tunnels so the Dauntless could attack Erudite and I could get Dresden out of Erudite."

"And they believed you?"

"They believe that I am willing to do whatever it takes to save a traitor." Eric put on his signature cruel smirk.

"What about a dead traitor?" Eric forced himself not to react despite the fact he wanted to scream wanted to beat the truth out of Alistair. He knew there was a 50 per cent chance this was a lie a way of trying to get him react. Dresden could still be alive. But this could be the truth and Dresden could have died of her injuries from the sim. Or Jeanine could have just got bored of waiting and killed her.

"It's of little concern to me just a body to finally fill a grave." Eric forced out keeping his face neutral.

"To be honest with you I don't know if subject six is dead or alive I just wanted to see how you'd react. Maybe you really are as heartless as they say… she was your wife you must have loved her at some point?" Eric wanted to sigh with relief let his body drop the weight lifting but he couldn't and still it wasn't confirmation that she was alive. Dresden could still be dead but at least there really was still a chance.

"Dresden Yorke was the top female initiate, loved by the Dauntless she was an ideal partner to see me settled in to Dauntless and into a leadership role." At least that was what he'd told Jeanine when she'd freaked out having heard he was dating one of the Dauntless leaders' daughters. That had not been part of her plan for him dating a love life. She'd even specifically told him he could fuck who he wanted but dating wasn't allowed no getting distracted.

"Can't have been that hard on you though… I've seen the pictures wouldn't have minded fucking her myself."

"One of the perks let's call it but you didn't have to deal with everything else all that Divergent shit gave her grand idea's." It hadn't really, he'd never had too much of a reason to expect she was anything other than Dauntless. Maybe she was a little to self-scarifying and smart but that was it. She certainly wasn't all that truthful and no way she was forgiving.

"Righty well if you hand over the details of the Dauntless attack then you can be on your way sure you have things to do with Ms Matthews."

"They'll come through the tunnels at sunset." Eric didn't know the plans he didn't want to but he doubted Four would follow his suggested plan so felt no concern in giving the details to Erudite. He was sure by now Four would have found both himself and the stiff gone freaked out and run to the factionless for help.

The factionless would storm the building with force chaos would ensue and he'd be able to grab Dresden and get the fuck out of there. This would give dauntless a whole new problem to deal with no way they would be able to control the factionless. But he wasn't a leader anymore it was no longer his problem. So long as he had Dresden he was good.

Leaving the interrogation cell, he wasn't surprised that alarms started going off straight away signalling the start of the attack. No longer was there any point of him trying to take out any security he figured though he'd done his bit distracting them.

Running up to the cells Eric was shocked to find the two guards out cold, crouching down he could still they were still breathing. But with no obvious signs of a struggle both from the guards and anyone been dragged out the cells he had no idea where to start. Groaning Eric decided on the hospital, there was a chance after all that the escapee from the cells might not have been Dresden at all. Though he doubted that somehow, he just knew this was Dresden.

A/N Wow its been a long time I am sorry. I also apologise for any grammatical and spelling errors I edited this one myself and whilst I am great with numbers English isn't really my thing.

Emmy


	15. Chapter 14

"Henry?" Dresden spluttered in shock as Henry Coulter crouched in front of her removing his hand from her mouth before signalling to be quiet. Before he started to cut through her restraints with a scalpel. Freeing her he stepped back standing up holding out his hand.

"Why are you doing this?" Dresden asked taking Henry's hand and been pulled up to her feet.

"You don't deserve to die," Henry stated before leading the way. Dresden noticed as she was lead through the security control centre both guards were out cold. She doubted Henry had the strength to do it manually and didn't see any visual signs of an altercation. "You'd be amazed just what a doctor has to hand." He stated before throwing a blue hoody at Dresden that had been hung on the back of one of the chairs. She quickly pulled it on over the tank top and leggings combo she's been given by the nurse.

"We are going out the back of the hospital… A member of factionless will be waiting for you in the building opposite." Henry whispered as they began walking through Dauntless Dresden keeping her head bowed as they passed people using Henry's natural charisma and status to almost make her invisible to wandering eyes.

They must have been over half way when the alarms started blurring and Henry looked at her with fear on his face, "Shift change isn't due for another ten minutes they shouldn't have discovered you're missing yet." He rushed out in a panic and Dresden felt something settle in the pit of her stomach. "We need to keep moving get you out of the hallways." Henry decided to pull her along before taking the first doorway on the right they came too.

They were safe now and not a moment too late Dres could hear the unmistakable sound of combat boots hitting the floor the regimented sound of a security team running past. The sharp ringing sound that came from Dr Coulter's pocket had Dresden spinning to face. "Answer it now and normally." She snapped taking charge knowing now if he was found with her he'd be tried for treason and killed. Both their lives were in her hands now.

"Coulter," Henry stated answer the phone to his ear but Dresden snatched it out of his hand and put it on speaker phone.

"…less is marching on Erudite you are required in the med bay we are expecting many casualties." Dresden wasn't sure whether the erudite making the call had been saying Dauntless or Factionless. Either way, it was bad for Erudite but good for them. The Erudite security would be focused on the incoming rebellion not what was happening inside.

"Has Jeanine been informed?"

"She is currently in session with The Divergent and not to be disturbed extra protection has been placed around the cell." The Divergent… fuck Tris. It had to be Tris from the moment she'd met the young initiate it had been painfully obvious she was divergent.

"The Divergent?"

"Eric brought her in just three hours ago," Eric was alive… Dres couldn't believe it. The relief though was crushed when it hit her she'd bought Jeanine Tris. He was still helping Jeanine, working with her despite everything.

"Eric? He's alive?"

"He's in an interrogation now, Jeanine wanted to ensure he was still ours."

"Of course, well I should head down to the hospital now. You should let Eric help his tactical mind and Dauntless training will help." Dresden looked at Henry with shock and anger she couldn't believe after everything he was still helping Erudite.

"Understood sir." Dresden hung up the phone still looking at Henry in disgust.

"I am trying to prevent the loss of innocent life Eric will use the building as a fortress Dauntless don't have the numbers to storm the building. He will protect everyone inside. They aren't the problem Dresden Jeanine is and she will be dealt with believe me. Right now, we have to get you out of her… the good news is they will be distracted." It wasn't going to be enough and Dres knew it. Dauntless might have been soldiers but they weren't idiots they didn't blindly run into a heavily guarded building something else was going to happen.

"We have to move now." Dres started checking the hallway before pushing Henry out into it, "It's not safe here."

Throwing the syringe on the floor Eric reached up and ran a hand through his hair, she had to have help these were from the hospital but who and where would they take her. The nearest exit seemed like the best idea but that would take them straight past Jeanine's lab. Still, though they couldn't have known the attack was coming and would properly be relying on Jeanine been so absorbed in her work she wouldn't see them pass right under her nose.

There was one other thing he could do, it would be risky if Four and the factionless didn't take Erudite if this attack failed… but it was the only way he could think to ensure Dresden was found. He couldn't lose her again and if she got out of this building he knew he'd never see her again. Slamming his hand on the emergency button Eric initiated lockdown procedures and the prisoner escapes alert by himself he didn't stand a chance of finding Dresden in time to protect her. Now through every set of eyes in Erudite were looking for her and he was about to make sure they all reported to him. "Attention all Erudite the Dauntless fugitive Dresden York has escaped her holding cell she may be armed and is considered highly dangerous do not approach her all sighting should be reported immediately." Putting the microphone down Eric picked up the cell phone and rang the control centre. "This is Coulter I want all information on Dresden York passing to me immediately she doesn't get out of this tower do you understand?!" He stated as soon as his call was picked up, crouching down he disarmed the two guards taking their guns to replace the ones they confiscated from him on arrival.

"Sir you haven't been cleared…"

"Am I understood?"

"Yes Sir, all alerts will be forwarded to this number." Ending the call Eric pocketed the phone and began following Dresden's most likely path to the closest exit. He had no idea how much of a head start she had on him but she was sure to have heard his PA message and that alone should have slowed her down now having to take more care not to be seen.

Running down the hallways Eric kept his eyes open checking all the hidey holes Dres might have slipped into along this route but the door was looming and he still hadn't come across her. Checking the lock, he saw the tiny glass tube hadn't been broken which meant this door hadn't been opened. Dresden hadn't come this way which meant whoever had helped her with the guards must still be with her no way Dresden could get around Erudite without a guide. This was the only simple route out of the building the rest where to convoluted to just describe.

But that meant she could be anywhere. Slamming his fist and kicking the door Eric let out a sigh of frustration. Of course, Dresden couldn't just sit quietly somewhere and wait to be rescued couldn't trust that someone else would have her back. No, she had to do everything for herself.

"Eric?!" His head snapped in the direction of the open door and he saw his mother standing to look at him. "What is going on out here?" Eric knew he needed to convince her he had everything under control or she would come out of her lab and see just how much of a shit state everything was in and she would take control.

"Dauntless has teamed up with Factionless and they are marching on Erudite our alarms picked them up five blocks out four teams have gone out to meet them everyone else is on high alert and in place closer to the tower. Dresden York has escaped her cell with help I am currently tracking her down." He didn't have a clue what Erudite was trying to do to combat the oncoming force of Dauntless and Factionless but if he was in charge that is what he would have done.

"You aren't needed to find York just give the order to kill on sight when they find her and get her… you were right Beatrice Prior is who we've been looking for." Tris… fuck he'd forgotten about her. He said he'd stop Jeanine from hurting her, said he'd protect her. Really, he'd just said those things to get her to go along with his plan, but fucking Dresden. She'd never forgive him if he let the stiff die. Fucking bitch, she screwed him over faked her death nearly destroyed him and still… still, he acted like her pet pandering to her every whim determining his actions on her every mood swing. "Eric?" He hadn't realised how long he'd taken to respond to Jeanine's orders until she called out his name and his head snapped up to face her.

"I thought you still wanted to experiment on Dresden York, further understand the mind of the Divergent?"

"She is inconsequential, we will just find other Divergent. Now send the order." Again, he hesitated to make that call would change everything. He had no idea what state Dresden was in but considering she'd been comatose when he'd left erudite he didn't think Dresden would be in any shape to start avoiding bullets. "Eric!" He knew from his mother's tone of voice he was too deep now to dig himself out of it.

Though as she started to speak his phone again began to ring, "Coulter." He answered cutting Jeanine off.

"We have her Sir, both Dresden Coulter and Dr Coulter have been apprehended in the hallways leading to the hospital. Dr Coulter claims he was escorting her for tests…" His father… his father was the one helping his wife. His father who had barely spent ten minutes in a room with him since he was born was risking his life for Dresden.

"I am in Jeanine's labs bring them both here." In his sight that would be the safest place for her in here with him and the Stiff. Once he had her he could work away out of this fucking mess, of course, she had to make a fucking mess of this and Four making it an either bigger mess. Thinking with his fucking emotions not his brain letting his heart lead.

Hanging up the phone Eric turned to look at his mother, "They have located Dresden Coulter and the person helping her escape… Henry Coulter."

"Henry?!" His mother let out a laugh. Eric wasn't sure whether she genuinely found it funny or if it was a laugh of disbelief like she was shocked he would dare disobey her.

He waited leaning against one of the screens every so often glancing over at Tris Prior knowing the survival of his marriage depended on her survival. She was still in the simulation and his mother had turned her attention back to watching her. Eric couldn't give a shit about what she was facing in there the only thing he cared about was her vitals and having Dresden in the room with him.

Jeanine didn't even look away as Dresden and Henry were finally pushed into the room she merely told them to put them in the corner she would get to them when she was done with The Divergent. Tris was close she'd made it through Dauntless, Erudite and Abnegation she was currently entering amity the same point Dresden had reached.

Eric's eyes followed Dresden watching as she was pushed down to kneel on the ground beside his father. She still looked so fragile, pale and weak. And yet he could still see that spark in her eyes she was planning, ready to fight her. Still his Dresden never ready to admit defeat a fighter to the end. Glancing up from Dresden Eric looked over to the coward initiate, Peter. Forever switching sides looking for the easiest route through this mess. Peter gave him a nod and Eric reached for his knife.

No sooner had his hand touched the hilt then didn't the alarms start screaming as the main power was cut. Backup blue lighting cut through the darkness that had followed. Reaching for his gun Eric's attention turned to the door. Unsure if the footsteps on the other side of the door where friendly or if Factionless had turned on Dauntless and where now here to take control.

Dres' mind was processing as she looked around the room. Tris unconscious on the floor of the cell detached from the wires. Jeanine trying to get everything working again so focused on her work she'd lost account of what this meant. Eric directing the few guards in the room to cover the doors. Henry with his head bowed looked ready to die.

The first wave of factionless to enter came with shields bursting their way into the room by sheer force and numbers the Erudite guard couldn't stand up to them. But it didn't stop them trying to fight back. Cuffed Dres just knelt there waiting unsure what would happen to her. Hoping she could somehow protect Henry just as he had protected her.

Her hopes were dashed as she was lifted to her feet by her cuffs and hand clamped over her mouth to stop her screaming out as she was pulled back into a hard chest. Dragged around the edge of the room Dres did her best to struggle to get back to Henry who had been knocked out by the same person that had grabbed her.

"Time to get you out'ta here," Dresden physically relaxed as the voice registered. Letting her rescuer drag her through the halls until he pushed her into a quiet room and she could spin and take a good look at the man standing there his long hair pulled back, five a clock shadow and tall imposing muscular body flaunted by the tightness of his clothes gun in hand and blade at his hip. He looked dangerous lethal and yet for the first time in days Dresden felt safe, protected in the presence of the one man who'd never let her down.

"Bell."

I am so sorry this has taken so long bad author life has been pretty damn crazy since I last sat down to write. But you guys leaving this story love inspired me to start writing again. This chapter has been the hardest to write but now I am over that hurdle hopefully things will get easier. I really wanted to this chapter to show Eric isn't good he's just selfish he wants Dresden and he will achieve that goal through any means necessary. Also so excited to finally be introducing you guys to Bell. Bell has been on my mind since day one and is properly my favorite character to write.

Emmy


	16. Chapter 15

"I had her." Eric screamed as he jumped down off the truck he'd been dragged on to and charged towards Four who was standing in the middle truck yard directing people. "I had Dresden, everything in the room was under control then you burst in and ruined everything."

"You were going to let Tris die!" Four shouted back pointing towards where Tris was being helped back into Dauntless.

"Tris would have been fine. I gave Peter a sedative it was taking hold she would have passed out stopping the sim and appeared dead. But instead you barged in with the factionless and now we've lost Dresden! Again!" The look of shock on Fours face couldn't be hidden. The idea that Eric had a plan a way of saving Tris.

"Dresden will be fine. She is Dresden Coulter." He was dismissing it, but Eric could see it in Four's eyes. He was worried, scared even. He knew he had made a mistake and that mistake might have just cost Dresden's life. But what could he have expected really, Trust. What right did he have to ask Four to trust him when he would never have trusted Four.

"You can't know that she was already hurt and weak and her escape attempt had only weakened her further."

"She lived with the factionless for the past year they aren't going to hurt her."

"And the Erudite security that where still fighting in there would they not hurt her? Factionless turned on you why not her too!"

Two hours earlier

Eric could see Dresden been dragged out of the room struggling as the big long-haired guy dragged her out the doors. He tried to reach her but Dresden wasn't the only one suffering. He'd been trying to hide his pain all day but the bullet wound in his shoulder hurt, the stab wound in his abdomen had reopened his black shirt was soaked in his blood. He was running on pure adrenaline as he managed to take his attacker to the floor driving his knife into the young lads' throat. There was no remorse as he looked at the kid this was war and this kid was in his way.

Three steps were all he managed towards the door. Collapsing to his knees he'd just about seen Four rushing in gun in hand with Tori and Mathew following him in. But his vision was blurry at best everything sounded so distant as he bent over struggling to stay even on all fours. He could just about see Four, Tori and Mathew make light work of the remaining Erudite guards in the room. It didn't surprise him that four ran straight for the stiff. What shocked him was Tori running to him.

"Dresden?" Tori asked dropping to her knees in front of him her bag off her shoulder open she was pulling out medical supplies.

"They took her." He managed to get out through gritted teeth as Tori stabbed him in the neck. Whatever she'd hit him with did nothing to the pain but gave him energy enough to move.

"Can you walk?" This time his head snapped up to look at Tori still crouched in front of him. "We need to get out of here, Erudite is over run and the Factionless made it clear we are welcome to stay. You know this place better than anyone you need to get us out!"

"I am not leaving without her." Eric argue stumbling to his feet no longer feeling quite as good as he had on the floor. But Dresden was here she was still in Erudite he knew it he just had to find her and as Tori had pointed out he knew this place better than anyone.

"We will get her back Eric. I promise we will get Dresden back but we can't do that right we don't have the numbers or the strength. We need to regroup in Dauntless and then we can come back for Dresden."

He tried to push past her and ignore Tori's words refusing to leave Dresden. But he was so weak in so much pain he barely managed to get to his feet before he was stumbling into her. "You're bleeding you are in no state to go after her. We need to leave now." Tori reiterated as he leant his weight on her.

He managed to guide them to a back entrance a team of about sixty Dauntless once outside he found the trucks waiting. Tori had bundled him into one and that was the last he remembered lying on the floor of a truck covered in blood struggling just to breath leaving Dresden alone in Erudite.

Eric came too on the floor of the truck Tori leant over him patching him up as they came to a stop in Dauntless. He could hear Four shouting ordered outside the truck, rage surged through him as he dived from the truck.

"Why are you doing this Bell?" Dres asked as Bell directed her to sit on the sofa in the room he'd locked her in. He'd returned not two minutes ago carrying food water and medical supplies. He'd dragged her out of the fight and caught her as she'd collapsed in his arms finally somewhere safe. Her best guess was she'd been out between two and three hours before waking up locked in this room. It had been another hour before Bell had walked in.

"Because things need to change Dresden!" Bell stated opening the medical kit he had picked up and checking her over. He'd never been more afraid when she'd collapsed in his arms. His Dresden, his brave strong Dresden didn't just collapse. Rushing her into this room he'd frantically searched for a pulse desperately watched her breathing. He'd wanted to stay with her to watch over her but the fight wasn't done. They needed to secure Erudite he needed to make sure it was safe.

"And this is how?" The venom in her tone told him Dres didn't approve. He'd always knew she wouldn't. But he'd also known this would always happen. You could only supress people for so long before they would rise and rebel.

"Something had to be done!" Dres couldn't believe what he was saying. She was utterly disgusted, they'd stormed a city building. Children, they gas bombed and killed innocent Children. Dresden stood at the glass wall of the office she'd been held in and looked down at the Erudite courtyard covered in bodies of the erudite who once called this place home.

"Innocent people died here today Bellamy! Children got caught in the crossfire, Children!"

"And now we control Erudite and soon we will control Dauntless… they are weak they'll fall easily then with Dauntless out of the way it will be easy to take the other factions." Dresden's head snapped up at Bellamy's words. He was going to attack Dauntless, the factionless forces would slash through the remaining dauntless. But Four and Tori, hell even Tris wouldn't just stand aside and let them in. More people would die. People just trying to protect their homes and families. Bellamy had always talked of a new era of peace where the factionless and divergent could live safely. Where your faction didn't dictate your whole life just your job and just because you chose something didn't mean you couldn't change your mind. He spoke of a beautiful world where an Erudite could love a Dauntless or a Candor could marry a factionless. But this wasn't beautiful it was as ugly as it came.

"Take Bellamy you talked about peace. Now you plan for a war!"

"War is inevitable Dresden don't be naïve. We need a war!"

"War is the reason we live in these walls. The factions where created to ensure peace…"

"Really you of everyone are going to use that one. How can you hide behind a system you don't even fit into?"

"People have always been afraid of what they don't understand Bell. That isn't anything to start a war over… I agree some changes need to be made the acceptance of Divergence needs to be taught we need to show them we are nothing to be afraid of. And the treatment of the factionless needs to change their children given a chance to enter society but still… This isn't call for a war."

"We are already at war Dresden. The sooner you realise that the better. Dauntless will be the next to fall I would prefer to do that with you at my side but make no mistake Dresden Dauntless is done for."

"You murdered innocent people Bellamy! Is that who you are now?" Dresden turned to walk away. Reaching for the door she knew she had to get out of there. She couldn't be near him not when he was like this.

"Where are, you going?"

"Home! You might have just started a war that will kill us all but maybe I can save some of us."

"You can't just leave!"

"Watch me."

"Dresden!"

"I am done running!" Dresden screamed spinning back to face Bellamy. Her anger at years of hiding who she was please everyone else. Her father, her trainers, society. She was done with it. This was who she was divergent. "I am done hiding who I am and I am done doing what everyone else thinks I should. So, you can try and stop me but I swear to god the only way you will be keeping me in this godforsaken building is if I am in the morgue!"

"I am sorry Dres… really I am but until you can see this is the only way I can't let you leave." Bellamy held his forehead to hers placing a kiss there before he pushed her back and made a dive for the door. Dresden to jumped for the door slamming into it as Bellamy swung it shut in her face dead bolting it. Stepping back before slamming her foot into the door trying to break the lock.

"Please try and get some rest. I'll make sure you get regular meals and water." Bellamy called through the door as Dres continued to try and break it down. Giving up kicking she'd taken to running and throwing her whole-body weight against the door. But the heavy wood just wouldn't budge.

"Don't do this Bell." Dres begged falling against the door tears in her eyes knowing her friends where going to die and she could help them. Eric was going to die. Though she couldn't be sure Dres felt it in her heart Eric had gotten out of Erudite he was alive most likely back in Dauntless. But she wasn't sure for how much longer.

"I need to keep you safe and this is the only way I can see to do this." Bell leant against the door. "I love you." He whispered pressing his hand to the heavy wood.

"BELLAMY JAMES DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE ME IN HERE!"

Eric didn't need to be told he knew his room would be deadlocked from the outside. He was under no illusion that he was no longer a prisoner, that he was trusted. Tori had pulled him from Erudite because they needed his knowledge of the Erudite building. Tori might have been a transfer too but he'd been the son of the leader and for months he'd run security in Erudite. Unable to sleep Eric headed back out to the balcony jumping up onto the wall and taking a seat. After his fight with Four Tori had forced him into the infirmary to get new stitches before he'd spent hours with Tori going over what had happened before the factionless had ruined everything.

The city was so dark. Darker than he'd ever seen it Erudite no longer lit up the night sky with their solar power lights. Majority of them having been smashed by the first wave of factionless wanting to use the incoming dark as cover.

Dresden was out there somewhere. Hurt, weak and tired. His only hope was that she'd fallen into the hands of the factionless she was close to. Those that wouldn't hurt her. They'd dragged from the fighting. To protect her? It was one of many options.

God, he wanted to smoke so badly. He just wanted to numb the pain and sleep. None of that was possible his last pack was crumpled on the floor. He knew no matter what he took for the pain sleep would never come. The pain might dull but it wouldn't allow sleep. So instead he leant back against the wall balanced on the edge of the balcony and closed his eyes.

It was the clicking of the door lock that alerted him to someone entering his apartment this time. He hoped it was not the stiff with another of her wise idea's. With little patience for visitors Eric stayed on the balcony. He doubted they would look for him out here. And yet it was the first place the footsteps headed. They stopped in the door way. His intrigue not enough to open his eyes he waited to his intruder to speak.

"You'll freeze out here one night."


	17. Chapter 16

"You would always tell Dres and me off for spending so much time out here." Eric didn't move as Lauren walked out on to the balcony. "But I knew I would find you here. Wanting to be close to her." Eric scoffed part of him wanted to deny that he was out there because it was where he felt closest to Dres but there was little point. Lauren had known him his entire life and she and Dres had become fast friends almost inseparable making there jokes about how they taught the wrong way around. With Lauren, the transfer, taking the Dauntless-born and Dres, the dauntless born, taking the transfers. Eric knew that just like Tori Lauren loved Dresden. In fact, finding someone in Dauntless who didn't love Dresden would be a hard task. She was everything they loved reckless and fun but also serious and caring when they needed a friend.

But they failed her, they all fucking failed her because they couldn't listen to him! Rage burnt through him as he snapped out. "I would have been closer if Four could just have followed the plan."

"Because you would have trusted yourself in that situation. Come on Eric. You've never exactly been kind to Four or Tris. How could they trust you?"

Eric just scoffed rolling his eyes. "Is there a specific reason you are here?"

"Yes actually. Come with me." Lauren stated before turning back to the apartment. Eric groaned before turning and dropping down off the wall and on the balcony following Lauren into his apartment. He found her standing by his TV holding the remote, she'd already pulled something up on the screen.

Walking towards the screen Eric started to recognise the room, it was his mothers' office back in Erudite there was someone in there standing at the window. Dresden. It was Dresden standing at the window looking out over the city. "It came up on our screens ten minutes ago. Every screen everywhere it's our only channel that's running the rest just show static."

"The only view we have of the whole city is one of Dresden in Erudite?" Eric asked his brain working in overdrive as he tried to come up with the best possible reason. He might have been dauntless but he was raised in Erudite taught logic. There was a reason, this was targeted precisely.

"Yes," Lauren replied.

"Why?" He didn't know why he was asking he wouldn't listen to anyone else's theory anyway.

"We were hoping you could work it out."

"They want to show their control and power hacking our systems does that. But they could have shown us anything to prove this. No this is personal… but why Dresden?" Eric was lost at this it was personal they wouldn't have used a human if it wasn't personal this went beyond logic it was starting to get into emotions. Something he wasn't so great at understanding.

"I know you don't want to but maybe if you could work with Four on this?" Eric just sent her a look before turning his attention back to the screen. He was frustrated looking into the details was anything different about the room. There was a tray on the table someone had taken food but that was it nothing else was out of place nothing else new was added to the room. "She is a divergent maybe…"

"So why are they holding her in there."

"They are holding her in the room?"

"Well, she's been pacing she had one visitor we didn't recognise him and there is no sound to hear what they said. After he left Dres tried the door but it was locked she couldn't get out."

"That room is biometrically locked to my mother's fingerprint to be opening it they have to be using her finger. Without it, that door is designed to withstand an assault."

"Charming woman your mother."

"She would always say life favours the prepared."

"Well, it helps when you are the one starting the war." Lauren sighed. "I am sorry she was still your mother."

"Did you just come here to show me this?"

"No Four wants you in the command room on this one I was sent to collect you. He thinks as do I that you could be important on this one. You've already been able to locate her in the building now we just need to work out why there and why Dresden." Lauren turned towards the door unlocking it before holding it open. "After you." She started waiting for him to pass and lead the way to the command room.

It was much emptier than he had been expecting with only Tris, Four, Tori and Harrison waiting for them he had expected more. The four of them were standing watching the footage nothing had changed during the walk from his apartment to the control room. Dres was still standing her head leaning against the window looking away from the camera so they couldn't see her face.

"Eric was able to identify it as Jeanne's office."

"It's properly the second most secure location in Erudite to the cells. That room is a fortress."

"I doubt even Dresden would be able to get out of that place."

"Tori has managed to cut back to the man that entered. Anything?" Tori span her tablet around to show Eric the man. Eric shook his head he'd never seen him before.

"I am trying to work out what they are saying but it is a bad angle," Tori stated hitting play and letting the footage continue on a little longer showing Eric they never turn towards the camera. Or at least Dresden never turns towards the screen however the man does every so often though he never speaks towards it.

"You can't get sound."

"I am trying it's not all that easy. Analysis the footage Tori. Get sound, Tori. Run that guys face, Tori. Work out what they were saying, Tori."

"What did you do?" Lauren asked staring at the screen a man was walking back into the room.

"Huh?"

"Shut up!" Lauren stated. And then everyone heard it.

"Dres." The was sound, the sound was coming from the screen.

"I managed to find this for you." Eric recognised the man that had just walked in holding the box of her things from the cells as the one Tori had just shown him entering earlier and someone he had seen before then. His voice though Eric recognised the way he called Dresden's name. He'd shouted it as he had burst into the fight.

"He was the one that pulled Dresden out of the fight," Eric stated pointing at the screen. "Who is he?"

"We don't know. He's Dauntless-born for sure look at his movements. But if he was ever in the system he's been wiped out for sure we can't find any trace of him we even tried ageing up pictures of missing children." The man put the box on the desk and walked towards where Dresden was standing silent turned away from him towards the window. She was angry with him that much was obvious from her posture and angle.

"Dresden look it me."

"No, you disgust me!" Her bitter tone was one Eric had heard many times before when she was holding on to their latest fight.

"I am no worse than your beloved Coulter!" The man spat out. Eric couldn't put his finger on it but there was something familiar about him his floppy black hair and dark eyes. It was like he knew him and yet Eric had no memory of this man.

"Don't you dare?!" The low snarl from Dresden meant this man was in trouble. But as she spun around ready to strike he caught her hand with such ease like he knew exactly what she was going to do. Showing a familiarity with her that Eric wasn't sure he liked.

"It should never have been him Dresden and you know it! If only I'd still be around to stop it. He never deserved you. You should have come with me when I left Dauntless." Eric's hand tightened on the desk in front of him rage coursed through his veins as he watched the monitor in front of him. This man had a hand around the nape of Dresden's neck holding her forehead to his. "I am sorry." He whispered just loud enough for them to hear. "I am sorry I shouldn't shout." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I love you."

Dresden just pulled herself away walking over to the window. "I hate going to bed angry." He stated but this time made no attempt to follow her giving her space.

"I know," Dresden whispered leaning her head against the glass. "I love you too but I cannot support you in this I cannot you are a better man than this Bellamy."

Bellamy. At last, they had a name turning his head Eric could see both Lauren and Tori already searching everything they had for a Bellamy. An unusual name hopefully all they would need was his first name.

"I am doing what is needed to keep my people alive."

"At what cost Bell. At what cost? Because I am struggling to see my Bell in there. I want you to leave." Dresden had turned back to him now facing him she pressed her hand to his chest and stared longingly up into his eyes. Eric felt sick betrayal coursed through him. She swore to him there had been no one else and yet there she was with this Bellamy and it was so obvious.

"Dresden."

"Please leave," Dresden stated pushing herself away from him again turning back to look out of the window.

"Okay," Bellamy stated pressing a kiss to the back of her head he turned to leave before at the last minute as he stood in front of the door his hand hovering over the handle he turned to look at the camera smirking.

Eric couldn't hold it in any longer he flipped the table he'd been gripping before slamming his fist into the monitor. "WHO THE HELL IS HE?!" he screamed.

"Eric calm down we don't know what we just saw." Four stated stepping in to stop Eric doing any more damage.

"I know what I just saw another man with his hands all over my wife. My wife telling another man she loves him."

"Eric it may not be that simple. He's holding her captive she is locked in that room his captive. And there is no Bellamy ever registered in Dauntless." Lauren stated as for the second time her searches came back blank. No Bellamy had been born in or transferred to Dauntless not even a failed initiation attempt. Bellamy either wasn't from Dauntless and their evaluation of him had been wrong or he had somehow wiped himself from the system.

"You were her best friend did she ever mention him to you?!"

"No Eric but that doesn't mean…"

"Doesn't mean what she was with him the entire time I was just a tool…"

"Eric come on you heard him she stayed in Dauntless when he asked her to leave she chose you."

"Wait!" Tori burst out looking straight at Eric, "It is you, Eric… they are goading Eric." Tori stated Eric's outburst had made everything click for her. Of course, that scene was going to set Eric off.

"But why? That doesn't make sense they know Dauntless won't follow Eric…." Lauren stepped in shaking her head. She agreed that scene was specifically put on for Eric the way this Bell had smirked at the camera on his way out. He knew that Eric would be watching but why.

"No… no, it's not just Eric. It's all of us?"

"Tris."

"It's a trap and we have fallen straight into it. We've been trying to work out what this meant for hours. For hours we haven't focused on defensive strategy, a plan of attack or a plan of any kind. They were just buying time! Think about it we said it before they could have used any image to show us they had control of our system but they picked live footage of Dresden because an image wouldn't have caught our attention wouldn't have distracted us like Dresden."

"They used Dresden because they knew she was something important to all of us. She's Eric's wife, Four you think of her as a sister, Lauren and Tori she is your best friend, I owe her my life she risked everything to save and protect me. Harrison?"

"She is Dresden Coulter she'd do anything to help us so we had to help her." Harrison shrugged and Tris nodded proving her point. People would die for Dresden, she inspired their loyalty and now Factionless was using it against them.

"Exactly even those not particularly close felt some connection to her. She was our weakness. And they played it to the full. A distraction."

"Guys… this footage isn't live." Harrison stated the footage had frozen on Bellamy's smirk and Harrison now stood at the largest of the monitors staring at the clock on the wall right behind him. "It's delayed. It has a one-hour delay on it."


	18. Chapter 17

"Move in with me." Dresden turned her head to look at Eric who was lying on his bed next to her both naked sweaty on top of the covers their clothes strewn in a pathway from the door to the bed.

She just laughed at his comment before turning to look back up at the ceiling, "And give up my en-suite room in my parents with an actual kitchen living room for dorm housing no thanks, Eric."

"I am serious," Eric was now looking at her sat up, so he could look down on her face. She was so beautiful even with a split lip and the remnants of a black eye. He'd thought he'd be able to get past her beauty that it would just make his life easier, his job easier. He needed to become a leader the Yorke's where his fast track pass. Dresden was his fast track pass. This thought was turning out to be anything but easy. For the first time he was feeling things, things that would get in the way of the job.

"So am I Eric. We fuck that's all I barely know a thing about you. And you know nothing about me he'll I bet you couldn't even tell me my favourite colour." Shit!

Okay, Eric mentally prepped himself, he was clever an Erudite he could do this. "Your favourite colour is green, not grassy green or bright green dark green almost black. You have a dress in the colour it looks amazing on you." He remembered the dress she'd worn it to their first formal function after passing initiation. She wouldn't go with him, so they had arrived separately he'd gotten there first so he'd been there when she stepped out of the entryway. He didn't know if anyone else had noticed her he suspected they had. How could they not see her standing above everyone the dark green dress clinging to her body so sinfully the studded sleeve like armour she looked like a warrior princess with those wild waves braided back from her face but left free to tumble down her back.

There was a saying in Dauntless 'There must always be a Yorke in Dauntless' it was taken from an old book or TV show history was unclear which. But it was about this family the Stark Family and their home Winterfell and how without a Stark in Winterfell it fell became a shadow of the power it had once been. The Yorke's where Dauntless' Starks, the ruling family from day one. There had never been a time a Yorke had not sat as one of the three Dauntless Leaders. And now Dresden was the last remaining Yorke. That night seeing her standing there Eric had questioned his mother's plan to steal her seat her mother thought Dresden weak a warrior, not a leader her mother had said but that had been the first time Eric had seen it Dresden Yorke was born to lead.

"So, you noticed my favourite colour it's superficial Eric you know nothing about me."

"So tell me something then." He urged unsure on whether he wanted leverage or to learn about this incredible woman in his bed.

"Yeah right like I am going to trust you. You're a snake Eric a power-hungry snake."

"I came out as Erudite on the aptitude test." Fuck he had no idea where that had come from he'd told no one the results of his test. Dauntless had always been the plan his mother's plan and his. The results of the aptitude test were meant to be Dauntless she'd raised him to be Dauntless.

"What?!" Now Dresden was sat up staring straight at him in shock!

"My result was erudite."

"But..."

"I had to get out of there I wanted to..." He had no idea where this was coming from was it the truth in Dauntless he was away from Jeanine but not fully this had always been her plan she still had him attending meetings. Part of him wanted to escape to use Dauntless as a way of getting away from her but part of him still craved her attention.

"I killed Jordan Powers…" and with those four words, everything was different Eric's thoughts where no longer of his mother just the woman in front of him now sitting up looking straight at him. Eric didn't know what to say or do thankfully Dresden kept talking, "he was a transfer number two in his intake he attacked Bell and put him out of initiation, so I killed him I pushed him into the carven. I killed him, and I felt nothing. Everyone thought it was suicide that he knew he'd been caught and would be thrown out for it, so he jumped. But I pushed him, and I would do it again he attacked my family."

"When... how old were you?"

"Eight years ago I was ten. He hurt my family Eric he attacked my family he took someone I loved, and I am not sorry he is dead. You think you know me, you think maybe you even love me. You don't know me. You have no idea what I am capable of."

"Come here. Dresden, please come here. I know you think I don't know you, but I do I know a fierce and loyal woman who would stop at nothing to protect those lucky enough to be loved by her. You tried to scare me off telling me that. I am not scared Dresden I am in awe."

"No!"

"Dresden!"

"GET OUT!"

"It's my…"

"GET OUT!" Eric went pulling his clothes on before slamming the door shut pissed at how that had gone. He initial statement had shocked him, but he knew her and he knew she was capable of killing he knew she was fiercely loyal and protective of those she loved and she had a temper. He'd been on the receiving end of her loyalty and temper before. She'd not come for his life though he'd not done enough to warrant that, he was sure if Four had not survived the attack or been injured and thrown out of Dauntless. His life would have been up for grabs despite him not having anything to do with it.

A walk around the floor was all he gave her to get out as he suspected it was all she needed pushing the door open his room was empty. Any trace of Dresden gone except the mess of sheets on the bed and a lingering scent in the air. Collapsing back on the bed Eric tried not to think he didn't want to continue the endless battle between the part of him that just wanted to cut Jeanine loose to forget her and try and make things real with Dresden and the part of him that saw her as little more than a tool he could use to get what his mother wanted.

Growling Eric flopped over burying his head in the pillow that still smelt of Dresden leather whiskey and sex it was a wonder her father was able to still see her as his little angel when she was sin personified.

"Coulter." Eric looked up from the pile of paperwork he'd arrived at his desk to this morning to find Ty Yorke standing over him he looked mega pissed.

"Sir."

"Dresden seemed pretty upset when she came home last night anything I should know?" Eric wanted to ask how Ty knew his daughter had anything to do with him. He was sure that whilst Dresden was her Daddy's little girl she wouldn't have told him about them and she refused to be seen out with him. He was her dirty little a secret like the good girls in the books she liked to read that liked to secretly mess around with the school bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks.

"She left me, sir." He wasn't stupid they'd had other fights before but this was different. Normally they would have had hot makeup sex by now. Dresden hadn't come back to his room last night, she hadn't met him in the gym early in fact she'd made a statement of walking into the gym late with Lauren. This was it Dresden Yorke was done with him and now he needed a new way of staying on Yorke's good side. Dresden might not have announced her intent to go through leader training yet but that didn't mean she wouldn't. Ty Yorke would be the next leader up for retirement he needed to make sure he was the obvious pick over Dresden despite the superstitions.

"She?"

"Broke it off, left whatever you want to call it."

"Oh, Dresden." Eric was confused he was sure the old guy would accuse him of something of hurting his little girl. "She seems so strong I sometimes forget the effect things had on her. I am sorry Eric I feel this is my fault." Now he was really confused what could Ty have done to Dresden to cause her to break up with him. Hanna and Ty where everything he'd always dreamt his parents had been they supported their sons move to Amity even met him in the hub on occasion they loved each other and supported their daughter. Ty doted on her she was his little girl his pride and that was obvious to see. "I should never have followed through with the stupid ruling found a loophole or something. Dres was so young she should never have had to see that gone through that I should have at least protected her more."

"Sir I am sorry I don't know what you're talking about?"

"The ramblings of an old man Coulter just ignore them. Though I must ask you please don't give up on Dresden she just needs a bit of coaxing." With that Ty was gone off down the hallway leaving Eric with more questions than answers. He was sure this had to do with Jordan Powers Dresden had killed him age 10 because he'd threatened her family. But he didn't understand what he'd done and who the hell Bell was.

Leaving the papers Eric turned to his computer and searched the records for a 'Bell' nothing came up. He wondered then if Bell was a family name and so he searched again this time for anyone with the surname York. All but the four he could account for on the list when long dead with no date of death occurring when Dresden would have been 10. None of this made sense. Dresden hadn't been lying when she'd told him about Powers he was sure of it. Growling in frustration he got out of his chair and went to find the youngest of the leaders and Dresden's cousin Max.

"Eric is there something I can help you with?"

"I hope so I am wondering what you can tell me about Bell Yorke?" Eric took a stab the Bellamy was a full blood Yorke and was rewarded with the turning of Max's face telling him he'd hit a nerve.

"Never bring that name up here again. Bellamy Yorke is gone he is in the past and that is where he is going to stay. I don't know who told you that name, but you forget it now. Get out."

Eric did as he was told and left Max in his office. He didn't bring the name up again with anyone he wanted to know who to ask before he risked saying anything aloud again. For the next week, he continued to search through physical and digital records trying to find out just who Bellamy York was and what had happened. But the name was nowhere at some point Bellamy York had simply ceased to exist.

To make matters worse Dresden had somehow become the master at avoiding him and in the rare moments, they saw each other she would just blank him. He was tired and fed up and had a million letters from Jeanine wanting to meet up in The hub no doubt expecting an update on his progress through Dauntless.

"Fuck." Eric breathed out as he watched Dresden walk into the office and drop down in the seat next to him. Ignoring him as she had for the past week was one thing, but this was petty she was purposely pushing him now.

"Dresden finally saw the light and agreed to join the leadership training programme."

Eric seethed silently through today's 'lesson' he waited for Dax to leave before shutting the door and turning on Dresden who clearly anticipating his move was leaning against the desk looking straight at him waiting. "Please inform me of what a bitch I am how horrible and twisted I must be to take this from you."

"You won't take this from me I was number 2 your already behind you can't rely on your surname you won't you have too much pride."

"Maybe I do maybe I don't but the fact is Eric I am Dauntless not some Erudite dressed in black I am going to destroy you on these tests."

"What the fuck did I do?" Eric asked, "Seriously please tell me what I did. Because as far as I see it all I did was let you in all I did was fall in love with you."

"I told you that would be a stupid idea."

"You love me."

"You are delusional."

"No, I am not… you fell for me."

"I am done."

"You fell for me but you're scared. Not just scared terrified."

"I hate you."

"STOP… just stop it, no you don't. I saw your fearscape Dresden I know your fear... to lose those you love. I know I appeared in it."

"Shut up."

"Fine you won't admit it I will! I want to be with you! I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Eric couldn't believe he'd said it the anger he'd felt was quickly ripped from his chest as he was left staring at her. He hadn't even known it was true until it was coming out of his mouth. "I want you." He sighed throwing his hands in the air. "You know what fuck it you want the leadership role it's yours." With that Eric left he couldn't fight with her any more.

He'd spent his whole trying to win the love of a heartless, cut off bitch. No more he was in Dauntless now he was free of her he could make his own choices his own plans. He was done.


End file.
